Mandibular Quadridam with Integrated Border Frame
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current dental dams are cumbersome, uncomfortable, and unstable, requiring anesthetic to secure, which can cause pain and discomfort, especially in pediatric patients, and are difficult to install, potentially leading to tooth fracture during procedures like root canal treatments.
Innovation Solution
A mandibular quadridam with a rubber dental dam and border frame that can be placed intraorally without an external frame or clamps, featuring a saliva ejection port and contoured rubber for secure positioning, allowing for easy installation and reduced patient discomfort by isolating a specific quadrant of the oral cavity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional dental dams with external frames and clamps are used, then the dental dam can be secured in place, but the installation becomes time-consuming and requires anesthesia which causes patient discomfort
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the border frame, securing mechanism, and dental dam into a single integrated unit. The frame is enclosed within the rubber dental dam itself, eliminating the need for separate installation steps and external clamps, thereby reducing installation time while maintaining reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The dental dam is designed to be self-securing through its integrated frame structure that is enclosed within the rubber material. The design allows the dam to maintain its own position without requiring external clamps or additional securing devices, eliminating the need for anesthesia and reducing patient discomfort
2Reliability
If clamps are used to hold the membrane in place, then the dental dam remains stable, but the clamp exerts great pressure causing severe pain and potential tooth fracture
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the external clamp component entirely from the design. The frame is enclosed within the rubber dental dam itself, eliminating the need for separate clamps that exert pressure on teeth. This extraction of the harmful clamp element maintains stability through the integrated frame structure while eliminating pain and tooth fracture risk
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the potential harm of external clamps pressing on teeth by enclosing the frame within the rubber dam material itself. The frame structure that would otherwise require external clamps is now integrated into the dam, transforming a harmful external force into a benign internal structure that maintains stability without causing pain
3Reliability
If traditional dental dams cover the entire mouth, then complete isolation is achieved, but patient comfort decreases and the dam becomes more imposing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the dental dam coverage to focus only on the specific quadrant or area requiring treatment. The border frame enclosed within the rubber dam creates a localized isolation zone rather than covering the entire mouth, achieving sufficient isolation for the treatment area while improving patient comfort by reducing the imposing nature of full-mouth coverage
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method for sealing and isolating an area of an intra-oral cavity using a rubber dental dam is provided. The rubber dental dam is sized to isolate and seal a partial area of the intraoral cavity, such as a lower half or an upper rear quadrant of the intraoral cavity. The rubber dental dam includes a saliva ejector port for allowing suction to remove fluids from the area.