Maxillary Expander with Skeletal Anchorage for Orthopedic Expansion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current maxillary skeletal expanders often cause undesired tooth movement and stress on the bone, are inefficient in generating orthopedic effects, and require multiple surgical procedures, especially in skeletally mature individuals, due to their design that relies on tooth-borne forces and limited anchorage.
Innovation Solution
A medical device comprising at least two bodies coupled to the maxilla with an adjustment mechanism that applies forces directly to the maxilla without engaging the teeth, allowing for interchangeable expansion screws and distributing forces along the median palatine suture to achieve efficient skeletal expansion and growth.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If force is applied directly to the hard palate using mini screws, then orthopedic expansion efficiency is improved, but stress on the screws and bone increases causing potential breakage
Solution Approach 1:
The device divides the force application system into multiple independent mini implants (at least three per side of the suture) rather than relying on two, segmenting the load across more points of attachment to reduce stress on each individual screw and bone interface while maintaining orthopedic expansion efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The invention applies different force magnitudes at different locations by positioning mini implants at specific sites on either side of the median palatine suture, with the expansion screw applying localized force between them, creating optimal stress distribution patterns that enhance orthopedic effects while protecting screw-bone interfaces
2Stability of the object's composition
If force is transmitted to the teeth for stability, then device stability is improved, but undesired alveolar effects occur such as tooth root resorption and alveolar bending
Solution Approach 1:
The invention completely removes tooth engagement from the force transmission system by anchoring the expander directly to the maxillary bone via mini implants in the palatine suture region, extracting the teeth from the anchorage system to eliminate all tooth-borne forces and their associated harmful alveolar effects
Solution Approach 2:
The maxillary bone and palatine suture serve as intermediary structures between the expansion screw and the external environment, mediating the force transmission entirely through skeletal tissue rather than dental tissue, thus achieving stability without tooth involvement
3Device complexity
If only two mini implants are used on each side of the median palatine suture, then device complexity is reduced, but orthopedic expansion efficiency becomes insufficient in skeletally mature individuals
Solution Approach 1:
The invention segments the implant system into at least three mini implants per side of the suture rather than two, creating additional force application points that collectively generate sufficient orthopedic expansion capability in skeletally mature patients without excessive increase in device complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The invention combines multiple mini implants (at least three) on each side of the median palatine suture into a unified anchorage system that works collectively with the expansion screw to generate the cumulative orthopedic force needed for effective expansion in mature skeletons
4Productivity
If full activation of the expansion screw (8-12 mm) is required to achieve minimal expansion, then expansion effectiveness is improved, but treatment time and patient discomfort increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention creates localized force concentration at the median palatine suture through strategically positioned mini implants and screw placement, generating high-density orthopedic force in the target region that achieves effective expansion with minimal screw activation (less than 2 mm) rather than requiring full activation
Solution Approach 2:
The mini implants are pre-positioned in optimal locations on either side of the median palatine suture before screw activation, creating a pre-configured force transmission system that maximizes orthopedic efficiency from the first turn of the screw, eliminating the need for prolonged activation periods
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 solution reduces stress on screws and bone, eliminates alveolar effects, and provides more substantial and efficient orthopedic effects while minimizing discomfort and surgical procedures, enabling effective forward and upward movement of the maxilla without tooth involvement.
Implementation Method 1
the at least two bodies are configured to apply forces to the maxilla without any coupling of the device to the teeth of a patient
Implementation Method 2
an adjustment mechanism configured to variably maintain a distance between the at least two bodies
Implementation Method 3
distributing forces along the median palatine suture to achieve efficient skeletal expansion and growth
Data Source
AI summary
A medical device and method of expanding the maxilla of a patient via application of intra-orally generated forces and/or applying externally generated protraction forces to the maxilla of the patient is provided. The medical device can embody multiple configurations device that include skeletal anchorage device alone or in combination with a fixed aligner or an adjustable aligner.