Endodontic Instrument Acoustic Monitoring for Breakage Warning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Instrument breakage during endodontic treatment is a frequent complication due to various factors including instrument design, usage, and canal geometry, leading to treatment duration increase, tooth weakening, and potential infection risks.
Innovation Solution
A monitoring device and method that captures and analyzes acoustic emission signals from endodontic instruments to detect structural and practical failures before they occur, using sensors and acoustic analysis to identify imminent breakage and adjust handpiece parameters accordingly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If instantaneous measurement of operating parameters is used to control torque, then torque control is improved, but fatigue and creep failures cannot be detected
Solution Approach 1:
The acoustic emission sensor detects signals from micro-cracks and material degradation before they lead to catastrophic failure. By monitoring these preliminary signs of fatigue and creep, the system can alert practitioners to replace instruments before actual breakage occurs, thus detecting failures that instantaneous torque measurement cannot identify.
2Reliability
If acoustic emission signal monitoring is implemented, then detection of imminent failure is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex mechanical monitoring systems with acoustic emission sensing. Instead of using multiple sensors and complex mechanical measurement devices, the system uses acoustic emission technology to detect material stress and micro-crack formation, simplifying the overall system while maintaining high reliability in failure detection.
3Strength
If instrument design is made more resistant to stress, then instrument strength is improved, but breakage under flexural-torsional stress in bent canals still occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The acoustic emission monitoring system provides real-time feedback on instrument stress conditions. When the sensor detects signals indicating high stress or micro-damage in instruments used in bent canals, the system alerts the practitioner to stop or adjust the procedure, preventing catastrophic failure even though the instrument design itself cannot be changed to accommodate all canal geometries.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Prevents instrument breakage by providing early warning and allowing safe continuation or cessation of treatment, reducing complications and extending instrument lifespan.
Implementation Method 1
the instrument is driven by a handpiece and generates a set of acoustic emission signals
Data Source
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Figure 3~4
AI summary
The invention relates to a method for monitoring for failure of an endodontic instrument used in an endodontic treatment during which the instrument is driven by a handpiece and generates a set of acoustic emission signals, noteworthy in that it comprises steps of: - sensing and analysing the set of acoustic emission signals generated by use of the instrument; - when failure of the instrument occurs, thus generating a failure acoustic emission signal, detecting said failure acoustic emission signal in the set of acoustic emission signals in order to detect occurrence of the failure.