Maxillomandibular Fixation Device with Pre-Positioned Hooks
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional maxillomandibular fixation techniques are technically demanding, time-consuming, and often result in damage to the mucosa, periodontal bone, and tooth roots, with instability issues due to wire stretching or screw loosening, requiring surgical removal.
Innovation Solution
A maxillomandibular fixation device featuring a single strip of material positioned around teeth with a clamping assembly that secures the strip to an arch bar, using a lever or ratcheting mechanism for stability, avoiding wire-induced damage and simplifying the placement process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional wire wrapping technique is used to secure arch bars, then maxillomandibular fixation can be achieved, but the procedure is technically demanding and time-consuming with varying results depending on surgeon skill
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the manual wire wrapping mechanical system with a pre-fabricated arch bar assembly that includes pre-positioned hooks and a securement device. This substitution eliminates the need for surgeons to manually wrap and twist wires, thereby reducing technical demand and procedure time while maintaining fixation reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The arch bar is pre-prepared with hooks positioned and oriented before the surgical procedure. This preliminary action eliminates the need for intraoperative wire manipulation and positioning, reducing surgical complexity and ensuring consistent results regardless of surgeon skill level.
2Reliability
If stainless steel wires are wrapped around teeth and arch bar, then fixation is achieved, but damage to mucosa and periodontal bone is frequently encountered
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the harmful wire wrapping step from the procedure by using a pre-fabricated arch bar with integrated hooks. This eliminates the need to wrap wires around teeth and through the mucosa, thereby removing the source of mucosal and periodontal bone damage while maintaining fixation stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The arch bar with pre-positioned hooks serves as an intermediary structure that provides secure attachment points without requiring direct wire contact with the mucosa and tooth roots. This intermediary design eliminates the harmful wire wrapping action while achieving the same fixation objective.
3Reliability
If wires are used for maxillomandibular fixation, then fixation stability can be achieved, but instability over time results due to stretching of the wires
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the wire wrapping mechanical system with a rigid arch bar structure featuring pre-positioned hooks and a securement device. This substitution eliminates wire stretching as a failure mode, providing both initial stability and long-term durability without the time-dependent degradation associated with wire elasticity.
4Reliability
If screws are placed through mucosa to act as hooks, then fixation can be achieved, but overgrowth of mucosa over the screws causes pain and requires surgical removal
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the screws that penetrate the mucosa from the design by using extramucosal arch bars with surface-mounted hooks. This eliminates the source of mucosal overgrowth and associated pain while maintaining fixation stability through the alternative hook-and-securement-device mechanism.
5Reliability
If conventional wire wrapping technique is used, then fixation can be achieved, but significant amount of time is required completing the procedure
Solution Approach 1:
The arch bar with hooks and securement device is pre-prepared outside the patient's mouth before the surgical procedure begins. This preliminary preparation eliminates the time-consuming intraoperative steps of wire measurement, cutting, wrapping, and twisting, thereby dramatically reducing procedure duration while maintaining fixation stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the time-intensive manual wire wrapping mechanical system with a pre-fabricated arch bar assembly that requires minimal intraoperative manipulation. This substitution eliminates the multiple time-consuming steps associated with traditional wire technique while achieving the same fixation outcome.
Data Source
AI summary
A maxillomandibular fixation device is provided. The maxillomandibular fixation device broadly includes a strip of material for positioning around an individual's teeth; an arch bar positioned against the teeth; and a clamping assembly for clamping the material to the arch bar. The material may include a single length of material or may be multiple lengths of shorter material. The clamping assembly may include a lever portion and a hook portion or may be a single slidable side clamp.