Endodontic File Connection Part Segmentation for Fracture Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing endodontic files often fracture during dental nerve treatment, leading to small fragments that are difficult to remove from the root canal, posing a safety risk due to their small size and embedment within the tooth root.
Innovation Solution
The endodontic file features a connection part with a thinner thickness, formed with slits and a concavely recessed shape, designed to fracture outside the tooth root, along with a coating layer to enhance durability and stress distribution, allowing for easier fragment removal and reduced risk of fracture.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the endodontic file uses a conventional uniform structure, then the manufacturing process is simple, but the file fractures inside the tooth root producing difficult-to-remove fragments
Solution Approach 1:
The connection part is divided into multiple segments by forming grooves that extend radially inward from the outer surface. These grooves segment the connection part into multiple radial sections, creating a fractured structure that is designed to break in a controlled manner outside the tooth root, producing larger, easier-to-remove fragments while maintaining manufacturing simplicity through standard machining processes
Solution Approach 2:
The connection part has non-uniform thickness distribution where the thickness varies in different radial directions. Specifically, the connection part has a first thickness in a first radial direction and a second thickness in a second radial direction, with the first thickness being different from the second thickness. This local variation in quality creates predetermined weak points that guide fracture occurrence outside the tooth root while maintaining overall structural integrity during operation
2Ease of manufacture
If the connection part has uniform thickness, then the manufacturing process is simpler, but stress concentrates and causes fracture inside the tooth root
Solution Approach 1:
The connection part features varying thickness in different radial directions, with the first thickness in a first radial direction being different from the second thickness in a second radial direction. This local quality variation allows stress to be distributed more evenly throughout the connection part during rotation, preventing stress concentration at any single point and reducing the likelihood of fracture inside the tooth root
Solution Approach 2:
Radial grooves are formed in the connection part to segment it into multiple radial sections. This segmentation creates multiple pathways for stress distribution and prevents stress from concentrating at a single location, thereby enhancing overall stress resistance while maintaining manufacturing simplicity through conventional machining techniques
3Strength
If the endodontic file is made more durable, then fracture resistance improves, but fragments become harder to remove if fracture occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The connection part is segmented by radial grooves into multiple sections, creating a structure that is designed to fracture in a controlled manner outside the tooth root. This segmentation ensures that when fracture occurs, it produces larger, more accessible fragments that can be easily removed, while the overall structure maintains sufficient strength during normal operation
Solution Approach 2:
The connection part is pre-designed with grooves and varying thickness to create predetermined fracture zones. This preliminary structural preparation ensures that when fracture does occur, it happens at the intended location outside the tooth root rather than inside, making fragment removal straightforward while maintaining adequate fracture resistance during use
Data Source
AI summary
An endodontic file for dental nerve treatment according to the present invention comprises: a helical shaped blade that is to be inserted into a root canal, remove dental nerve, and enlarge the root canal; a head that is detachably inserted into a rotary power tool, and a connection part extending by a predetermined length between the head and the blade and having a diameter smaller than that of each of a contact end of the blade and the head. According to the endodontic file for dental nerve treatment, by forming the connection part of the endodontic file with an adjusted thickness or shape such as a thin thickness so that stress generated during rotation of the endodontic file is concentrated on the connection part rather than the blade, the endodontic file is induced to be fractured outside the tooth rather than inside the tooth root, thereby allowing fractured pieces to be easily found and removed.