Expandable Soft Tissue Retractor for Comfortable Oral Scanning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing soft tissue retractors lack adjustability and customization, often causing discomfort and inaccurate scans due to improper sizing, and traditional methods require multiple sizes and labor-intensive operation.
Innovation Solution
Expandable soft tissue retractors that can be inserted in a compact state to minimize discomfort and expanded for optimal retraction, featuring a biasing element and elongated gripping members for easy manipulation and anatomical conformity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a retractor with the wrong size is selected (too large), then the retractor can provide sufficient retraction coverage, but it causes painful stretching of the tissue during fitting and insertion
Solution Approach 1:
The retractor incorporates an expandable mechanism that allows the device to transition from a compact insertion state to an expanded retraction state. The arms can be adjusted to different angles and positions, enabling the retractor to adapt to various mouth sizes and tissue types while minimizing initial discomfort during insertion.
Solution Approach 2:
The retractor allows for adjustment of key parameters including arm angle, arm length positioning, and overall expansion degree. These parameter changes enable customization of the retractor size and shape to match individual patient anatomy, providing optimal retraction coverage without causing painful tissue stretching.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If a smaller retractor is selected to minimize painful stretching, then patient comfort is improved, but improper retraction occurs resulting in poor digital impression quality
Solution Approach 1:
The expandable arm mechanism allows the retractor to start small for comfortable insertion, then expand to the optimal size needed for accurate scanning. This dynamic adjustment ensures both patient comfort during insertion and proper retraction coverage for high-quality digital impressions.
Solution Approach 2:
The retractor is inserted in a compact state before expansion, allowing the tissue to adapt without pain. Once in position, the retractor is expanded to the appropriate size to ensure proper retraction and accurate scanning, separating the insertion phase from the retraction phase.
3Ease of manufacture
If traditional fixed-size retractors are used, then manufacturing and stocking is simplified, but multiple sizes must be stocked and selection is limited resulting in suboptimal fit
Solution Approach 1:
A single retractor design with adjustable arms can replace multiple fixed-size retractors. The expandable mechanism allows one device to function as small, medium, and large retractors by adjusting arm angles and expansion degree, eliminating the need to stock multiple sizes while providing optimal fit for each patient.
Solution Approach 2:
The retractor transitions from a static fixed-size design to a dynamic adjustable design. The arms can be positioned at different angles and expanded to various degrees, allowing one universal retractor to adapt to different mouth sizes and anatomical requirements without requiring multiple specialized devices.
4Adaptability or versatility
If an optimally-sized retractor (larger than mouth opening) is used, then proper retraction is achieved, but painful stretching occurs during fitting and insertion
Solution Approach 1:
The retractor is inserted in a collapsed or partially collapsed state where the arms are closer together, reducing the effective size and minimizing tissue stretching during insertion. Once positioned, the arms are expanded to the optimal angle and separation to achieve effective retraction, separating the insertion comfort phase from the retraction effectiveness phase.
Solution Approach 2:
The retractor is prepared in a compact configuration for insertion, allowing comfortable placement in the mouth before expansion. After insertion, the arms are expanded to the optimal configuration for retraction, ensuring both easy insertion and effective retraction without the pain associated with inserting a fully expanded retractor.
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
Provides painless and optimal retraction with improved scan accuracy by conforming to individual patient anatomy, reducing labor and discomfort.
Implementation Method 1
The biasing element may be configured to allow the elongated gripping members to pivot angularly or separate from each other by a predetermined distance when the elongated gripping members are manually urged towards each other by pressing or squeezing (e.g., with fingers or by mechanical means) and to revert back to their original positions when the pressing or squeezing is relaxed or removed
Data Source
AI summary
An expandable soft tissue retractors comprising a controlling handle portion and a soft tissue retracting portion, wherein the controlling handle portion may include a biasing element to facilitate angular pivoting of the soft tissue retracting portion when the controlling handle portion is manipulated is disclosed. The soft tissue retractors are sufficiently small in their normal (or non-use), substantially constricted or contracted state so as to be capable of being inserted into a patient's soft tissue area (e.g., the mouth) without appreciable discomfort, and then expanded to retract tissue once comfortably placed in their proper locations. The retractors are not only easy to control and manipulate, but also feature an anatomical design that optimizes soft tissue retraction for the maxilla and mandible.