Endodontic Instrument Usage Data Collection for Breakage Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Endodontic instrument breakage during root canal treatments is a common complication due to unknown conditions such as complex canal shapes and improper instrument manipulation, leading to increased treatment duration, weakened teeth, and potential treatment failure.
Innovation Solution
A method for collecting usage data on endodontic instruments, including the shape of the root canal, working depth, and mechanical stresses, which is stored in a database to inform instrument design and usage adaptations, using a handpiece with a control unit to detect and measure these parameters and perform finite-element calculations to identify stress concentrations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If instrument design is improved to increase resistance to stress, then instrument strength is improved, but the ability to adapt to unknown canal conditions remains limited due to lack of usage data
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by collecting and analyzing usage data from previous treatments to identify stress patterns and critical conditions. This preliminary knowledge is then used to pre-adapt instrument designs and provide real-time guidance during treatments, allowing practitioners to anticipate and avoid breakage-prone situations before they occur.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback by continuously monitoring instrument parameters (depth, speed, torque) and comparing them against learned patterns from the database. When abnormal conditions are detected, the system provides real-time feedback to the practitioner and feeds this data back into the database, creating a continuous improvement loop that enhances both instrument design and operational guidance over time.
2Measurement precision
If data collection is performed continuously at high resolution, then measurement precision is improved, but data volume and processing complexity increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies partial action by selectively monitoring and recording only the most critical parameters (depth, speed, torque) at optimized intervals rather than continuously capturing all possible data. This approach maintains sufficient measurement precision for clinical decision-making while significantly reducing data volume and processing requirements compared to exhaustive continuous monitoring.
3Loss of information
If more parameters are monitored during treatment, then information completeness is improved, but the difficulty of detecting and measuring increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system achieves multi-functionality by using a single integrated sensor assembly that simultaneously measures multiple parameters (depth, speed, torque) through a unified measurement platform. This universal approach consolidates what would otherwise require multiple separate measurement systems, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining complete parameter monitoring.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for collecting usage data of an endodontic instrument. The method includes the following steps: acquiring data relating to the shape of a root canal to be treated; at regular intervals, acquiring data relating to the working depth of the instrument in the root canal; at regular intervals, acquiring data relating to the stress undergone by the instrument during work; and producing a database linking each data item acquired.