Mandibular Advancement Device Retaining Pin Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing mandibular advancement devices often cause discomfort and inefficiency due to improper positioning of the mandible, leading to pain and device unhooking during sleep, as they do not accurately respect the patient's natural occlusal plane, and the advancement distance is difficult to precisely adjust.
Innovation Solution
A method to determine a patient's open-position occlusal plane by creating a global model of the jaw, determining necessary openings, and designing mandibular advancement devices with retaining pins positioned parallel to this plane to maintain the mandible in an advanced position without causing discomfort.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the mandible is kept in an advanced position using conventional devices, then the pharynx opening is maintained to prevent snoring and sleep apnea, but the temporomandibular joint experiences stress and pain
Solution Approach 1:
The invention determines the open-position occlusal plane in advance during the design phase, before the device is manufactured and used. This preliminary determination allows the retaining pins to be positioned correctly from the start, preventing TMA stress and pain before they can occur during actual use.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the critical parameter of retaining pin orientation from the conventional approach (not aligned with occlusal plane) to being parallel to the open-position occlusal plane. This parameter change ensures that the mandible can be advanced effectively while the TMA remains in a neutral position, eliminating pain and stress.
2Reliability
If the retaining rods are positioned obliquely to advance the mandible, then the mandible is kept in an advanced position, but the gutters unhook during sleep and the device is expelled from its protrusion position
Solution Approach 1:
The invention preliminarily determines the correct orientation of retaining pins parallel to the open-position occlusal plane during the design phase. This preliminary positioning ensures that when the device is used, the retaining pins are already optimally aligned to prevent gutter unhooking while maintaining mandible advancement, thereby ensuring both effectiveness and stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the orientation parameter of the retaining pins from oblique positioning to being parallel to the open-position occlusal plane. This parameter change simultaneously achieves mandible advancement and prevents gutter unhooking, resolving the contradiction between effectiveness and stability.
3Reliability
If the advancement distance is increased to maintain the mandible in a more advanced position, then the pharynx opening is improved, but the precision of advancement control is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the reference parameter for retaining pin positioning from arbitrary or conventional orientations to being parallel to the open-position occlusal plane. This parameter change provides a precise, anatomically-based reference that enables accurate control of advancement distance while maintaining optimal pharynx opening.
Data Source
AI summary
Method for determining a patient's open-position occlusal plane comprising: obtaining a global model of the patient's jaw including a model of the mandible and maxilla in articulation; determining a natural occlusal plane of the patient from a global model of the patient's jaw in a centric occlusion position; determining a necessary opening to enable the advancement of the patient's mandible; determining a mandibular virtual plane from the global model of the patient's jaw in an open position based on the necessary opening determined; and determining the open-position occlusal plane from the mandibular virtual plane, the natural occlusal plane and the global model of the jaw in the open position based on the necessary opening determined. A method of designing a mandibular advancement device for a patient based on the open-position occlusal plane is also described as well as the resulting mandibular advancement device.