Anatomical Healing Cap Casting Jig for Gingival Preservation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional healing caps in oral surgery fail to preserve the natural aesthetic appearance of gingival tissue after tooth extraction, leading to loss of desirable aesthetic characteristics such as the gingival cuff, interdental papilla, and buccal prominence, as they do not anatomically match the tooth position, resulting in gaps and tissue compromise during prosthesis installation.
Innovation Solution
The development of customizable sculptable anatomical healing caps and casting jigs that allow practitioners to manufacture anatomically shaped healing caps with asymmetrical cross-sections and irregular surfaces, matching the emergence profile of missing teeth, which can be customized to fit individual tooth positions, preserving the aesthetic features of the gingival tissue.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Shape
If conventional healing caps are used, then the installation process is simple, but the aesthetic appearance of gingival tissue is compromised due to lack of anatomical matching
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by providing pre-configured casting jigs with well bodies that already contain alignment mechanisms and positioning features. These jigs are prepared in advance with specific geometric configurations corresponding to different tooth positions, allowing practitioners to directly cast anatomically shaped healing caps without complex custom fabrication processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses copying by creating physical models or digital impressions of the patient's specific tooth position and gingival anatomy, then using these copies to generate the negative space in the casting jig. This allows the healing cap to precisely replicate the anatomical features of the missing tooth's emergence profile without requiring direct manual sculpting.
2Manufacturing precision
If anatomically shaped healing caps are manufactured, then aesthetic appearance is preserved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the manufacturing system into modular components: standardized casting jig bodies with pre-formed well geometries, separate alignment mechanisms, and interchangeable positioning elements. This modular approach allows high anatomical precision through customized well designs while maintaining ease of manufacture through standardized components that can be assembled at the chair side.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements universality by designing casting jigs that can accommodate multiple tooth positions and anatomical variations through interchangeable inserts or adjustable positioning elements. A single universal jig system can produce anatomically precise healing caps for various locations in the dental arch, eliminating the need for entirely separate manufacturing processes for each case.
3Reliability
If custom healing caps are created for each patient, then aesthetic features are maintained, but time consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-configuring the casting jig with well bodies that already embody the anatomical features needed for aesthetic preservation. The alignment mechanisms and positioning features are prepared in advance, allowing the practitioner to quickly cast the healing cap material without time-consuming custom fabrication steps during the surgical procedure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses parameter changes by allowing rapid adjustment of the casting parameters (such as material composition, curing time, and well selection) based on the specific clinical situation. The system can quickly adapt between different tooth positions and anatomical requirements by changing which pre-configured well is used, rather than redesigning the entire manufacturing process for each case.
Data Source
AI summary
Casting jigs, methods, and kits that may be used in manufacture of anatomical healing caps. A casting jig may include a body having one or more wells within the body, each well being open at a proximal end thereof and having a negative shape corresponding to an anatomical healing cuff body of a given tooth position. The casting jig includes an opening through the bottom surface through which an elongate handle may be inserted, allowing a temporary abutment to be coupled into the distal end of the elongate handle, so that the abutment is disposed in the well, held in place by the handle, as it is used as a core about which the anatomical healing cuff body is formed. A crown forming jig for forming an inexpensive, chair-side prepared bis-acrylic temporary crown that may be easily and quickly installed over the anatomical healing cuff body is also disclosed.