Upper Jaw Distractor with Ball Joints for Anatomical Adaptation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current upper jaw distractors face challenges such as inaccurate fit, high risk of undesired tooth movements, and limited posterior stretching due to ossification and anatomical variations, leading to complications like root resorption, asymmetric stretching, and recurrence of skeletal deformities.
Innovation Solution
A distractor with a sleeve and expansion elements connected via ball joints, allowing for precise intraoperative placement and postoperative readjustment, featuring dual or triple double-joint configurations for improved anatomical adaptation and three-dimensional control during transverse expansion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If conventional distractors are used for upper jaw expansion, then the expansion function is provided, but the fit accuracy is poor and anatomical adaptation is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The distractor employs ball joints at multiple connection points (fixing elements to expansion elements, and expansion elements to each other) that enable dynamic adjustment and adaptation to the patient's specific anatomy. These spherical joints allow angular movement and positioning in multiple directions, transforming a rigid structure into an adaptable one that can accommodate variations in suture geometry and bone structure while maintaining precise fit.
Solution Approach 2:
The distractor is divided into modular components including fixing elements, expansion elements, and ball joints that can be independently positioned and adjusted. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized for its specific function while collectively achieving both high fit accuracy and anatomical adaptability through precise intraoperative placement.
2Stability of the object's composition
If distractors are rigidly fixed for stable expansion, then structural stability is improved, but the risk of undesired tooth movements and root resorption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The ball joints provide controlled flexibility that allows the distractor to adapt to anatomical variations and distribute expansion forces more evenly across the skeletal structure rather than concentrating stress on dental structures. This dynamic adaptation reduces harmful forces transmitted to teeth and periodontal tissues while maintaining overall structural stability during expansion.
Solution Approach 2:
The ball joints enable change in the angular parameters and orientation of the distractor components relative to each other, allowing optimization of force vectors during placement. This parameter adjustment capability ensures that expansion forces are directed appropriately along the suture line rather than transmitting unwanted forces to teeth, thereby reducing root resorption risk while maintaining stability.
3Measurement precision
If distractors are placed intraoperatively for precise positioning, then placement accuracy is improved, but postoperative readjustment capability is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The ball joints enable both precise initial positioning during surgery and subsequent readjustment in the postoperative period. The same dynamic mechanism that allows accurate intraoperative placement also permits controlled repositioning if adjustments are needed later, providing versatility across different time points without requiring different structural designs.
Solution Approach 2:
The modular design with independently adjustable ball joint connections allows selective readjustment of specific components without affecting the entire distractor structure. This segmentation enables targeted corrections while maintaining overall placement accuracy, facilitating ease of repair and adjustment.
4Force
If expansion elements are connected rigidly for controlled force application, then force vector control is improved, but anatomical adaptation and precision are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The ball joints create a dynamic connection system that maintains force vector control while adapting to anatomical variations. The spherical joints allow the expansion elements to self-align with the suture geometry, ensuring that expansion forces are applied precisely along the intended vector while accommodating individual anatomical differences, thereby achieving both force control and anatomical precision simultaneously.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a distractor, in particular for the transverse expansion of a patient's jaw. The distractor (1) comprises a sleeve (5) in which movable expansion elements (10, 11) are arranged along a longitudinal axis (A), and first fixing elements (2, 3) for attaching the distractor (1) to the patient's jaw, characterized in that the first fixing elements (2, 3) are pivotably connected to the expansion elements (10, 11) via first coupling elements (6, 7). The distractor (1) may have a second fixing element (4) for attaching the distractor (1) to the patient's jaw, wherein the second fixing element (4) is held by a second coupling element (8) and pivotably attached to the sleeve (5).