Wireless MEMS Mouthguard for Bruxism Monitoring
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing mouthguard devices for monitoring bruxism are cumbersome, inconvenient for sleep, and may alter the patient's bruxing habit, making them poorly representative of native bruxism activity.
Innovation Solution
A wireless mouthguard equipped with a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) that includes a capacitive sensor, microcontroller, and antenna to measure and transmit bite force data during sleep, allowing for accurate monitoring of bruxism activity without disrupting the patient's behavior.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If existing mouthguard devices are used to monitor bruxism, then bruxism activity can be measured, but the devices are cumbersome and inconvenient for sleep, and may alter the patient's bruxing habit
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex mechanical sensing systems with capacitive sensing technology. The capacitive sensor detects bite force through electrical field changes rather than mechanical contact, eliminating the need for bulky mechanical components while maintaining measurement accuracy. This substitution enables the mouthguard to be thin, lightweight, and comfortable for sleep while still providing precise bruxism monitoring.
2Measurement precision
If existing mouthguard devices are used to monitor bruxism, then bruxism activity can be measured, but the devices may alter the patient's bruxing habit, making them poorly representative of native bruxism activity
Solution Approach 1:
The mouthguard is designed as a thin, flexible structure that conforms to the patient's dentition without adding significant bulk or rigidity. This flexibility allows the mouthguard to move naturally with the patient's jaw movements and bruxing habits, preventing alteration of the native bruxing pattern while still providing accurate measurement through the capacitive sensor embedded in the thin film structure.
3Ease of operation
If a wireless mouthguard with MEMS is used, then accurate and continuous bite force data can be measured without disrupting patient behavior, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates multiple functional components into a single MEMS (Micro-Electro-Mechanical System) unit. The capacitive sensor, microcontroller, wireless transmitter, and power management circuitry are merged into one compact module that can be embedded in the mouthguard. This integration reduces the overall device complexity compared to having separate components, while enabling wireless, continuous monitoring without disrupting patient behavior.
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 system provides a non-invasive, accurate, and continuous measurement of bite force data, enabling effective diagnosis and monitoring of bruxism without altering the patient's behavior, with the ability to transmit data for analysis and display on an external computing device.
Implementation Method 1
The MEMS comprises an antenna, a capacitive sensor, a microcontroller, and a power supply. The sensor generates sensor signals corresponding to a force generated by a mouthguard wearer's bite.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed herein are system, method and/or device embodiments for using a wireless mouthguard with pressure sensors for measuring bite compression forces generated by a bruxism patient during sleep. A system comprises a mouthguard and a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) coupled to a portion of the mouthguard covering an axial plane of a tooth. The MEMS comprises an antenna, a capacitive sensor, a microcontroller, and a power supply. The sensor generates sensor signals corresponding to a force generated by a mouthguard wearer's bite. The MEMS may then transmit data describing the wearer's bite force over a period of time to an external computing device for display and analysis.