Fiber Optics Dental Post Light Propagation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional dental posts lack effective light-guidance, resulting in inadequate curing of light-curable adhesives within the tooth root, leading to weak structural strength and increased risk of denture damage or shedding.
Innovation Solution
A fiber optics dental post with a resin body and multiple fiber optics center shafts, designed to receive and propagate light for full irradiation of the adhesive, enhancing bonding strength and incorporating X-ray opacity for structural reinforcement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a conventional dental post is used without light-guide effect, then the structure is simple, but the light curable adhesive within the root of the tooth cannot be properly cured, resulting in weak structural strength
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces fiber optics center shafts as intermediary elements that transmit light from the receiving irradiation portion to the deep root area. These fiber optics shafts act as mediators to deliver curing light to locations that would otherwise be inaccessible, enabling proper adhesive curing without requiring complex external lighting systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from surface-level irradiation to three-dimensional deep-tissue irradiation by incorporating fiber optics shafts that extend into the root canal. This dimensional extension allows light to reach the adhesive at the root tip, transforming a two-dimensional surface treatment into a three-dimensional volumetric curing process.
2Reliability
If light irradiation is applied to cure adhesive, then the adhesive can be cured, but the light cannot reach deep into the root canal effectively, resulting in insufficient curing
Solution Approach 1:
The fiber optics center shafts serve as intermediaries that transmit light energy from the external source through the tooth structure into the deep root canal. This intermediary transmission mechanism overcomes the limitation of direct external irradiation, enabling reliable adhesive curing at depths that would otherwise be inaccessible.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces mechanical/conventional light transmission methods with optical fiber transmission. The fiber optics shafts use total internal reflection to guide light along their length, substituting the need for complex mechanical lighting systems with a more efficient optical transmission medium that can reach deep tissues.
3Strength
If the denture body is fixed to the tooth through the dental post, then the denture can be stabilized, but the bonding strength is insufficient, causing the denture to shed or be damaged
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary action by ensuring complete and uniform curing of the light curable adhesive before the denture is subjected to functional loads. The fiber optics system enables thorough irradiation of the entire adhesive layer, including deep root areas, ensuring the adhesive achieves maximum bonding strength before the denture is activated, thereby preventing subsequent shedding or damage.
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
The enhanced light-guidance ensures complete curing of adhesives, improving the structural bonding and adhesion strength of the denture body, reducing the likelihood of damage or shedding, while the X-ray opacity further enhances the post's structural integrity.
Implementation Method 1
each light-guide irradiation end is respectively placed on the outer peripheral face and at the bottom of the resin body, thus the light received by each receiving irradiation end is propagated to the outer peripheral face and the bottom of the resin body through the light-guide irradiation end for irradiation
Implementation Method 2
the denture body 40 and the dental post 50 are generally adhered to a tooth of a patient by way of a light curable adhesive, in which the adhesive is cured and adhesive by light irradiation
Implementation Method 3
through the structural design of the resin body with opacity of X-ray irradiation, the structural strength of the fiber optics dental post is enhanced
Data Source
AI summary
A fiber optics dental post includes a resin body and plural fiber optics center shafts; wherein the resin body includes an outer peripheral face, a receiving irradiation portion, and a bottom; each of the fiber optics center shafts pierces through and is fixed in the resin body, and has a receiving irradiation end and a light-guide irradiation end; each receiving irradiation end placed on the receiving irradiation portion of the resin body is used to receive the light irradiating on the receiving irradiation portion, and each light-guide irradiation end is respectively placed on the outer peripheral face and at the bottom of the resin body, thus the light received by each receiving irradiation end is propagated to the outer peripheral face and the bottom of the resin body through the light-guide irradiation end for irradiation, so as to effectively enhance the adhesion strength of the dental post.