Surgical Mesh Tube for Accurate Bite Registration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods for obtaining an accurate bite registration in partially edentulous patients are inadequate, particularly when there is a lack of posterior stability, requiring additional visits and procedures like the wax block method.
Innovation Solution
A method using a tube made of surgical mesh to facilitate an accurate bite registration by providing posterior stability while allowing the impression material to set and conform to the patient's dentition, eliminating the need for additional visits.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If conventional impression methods are used for partially edentulous patients, then the procedure can be completed in one visit, but accurate bite registration is not achieved due to lack of posterior stability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-forming a tube from mesh material before the dental procedure. This pre-prepared tube is then inserted into the patient's mouth to provide the necessary posterior stability during bite registration, eliminating the need for a second visit for wax block fabrication and enabling accurate single-visit bite registration.
2Measurement precision
If a wax block procedure is used to achieve accurate bite registration, then measurement precision is improved, but the device complexity and number of treatment sessions increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the essential function of posterior stability provision from the complex multi-step wax block procedure. By using a simple pre-formed mesh tube that provides the necessary stability, the invention eliminates the need for wax block fabrication, second-visit procedures, and complex articulation steps, thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining measurement precision.
3Reliability
If conventional impression materials are used without posterior support, then the procedure is simple, but the reliability of bite registration is insufficient for partially edentulous patients
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary mesh tube structure that mediates between the impression material and the patient's dentition. This tube provides the necessary posterior support and stability, acting as a mediator that enables reliable bite registration in partially edentulous patients without requiring complex procedures or multiple visits.
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
This approach allows for a single visit to achieve an accurate bite registration, reducing patient inconvenience and dental costs by eliminating the need for a second visit and the wax block procedure.
Implementation Method 1
The tube is formed from a surgical mesh which is flexible or has sufficient resilience at least around the open end of the tube to hold the tube open
Implementation Method 2
The mesh tube is filled with an impression material and located in the edentulous region of a patient's mouth. The tube may be manipulated by the dentist to hold it in place, for example by moulding to the shape of the edentulous jaw
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
A tube (2) is formed of surgical mesh and has a closed end (4) and a filling end (5) including an opening (6). The tube (2) is packed with unset activated dental bite registration material forming a package. The package is located in an edentulous region of a patients jaw and teeth, particularly where two or more adjacent teeth are missing. A line of impression material is dispensed from a conventional impression material dispensing gun onto the upper surface of the located package and the occlusal surfaces of the subject's remaining teeth. The subject is then encouraged to bite normally into the package the line of impression material so that the impression material records the relative location of the occlusal surfaces of the subjects teeth during a bite. When the material has set the resulting bite registration (9) is removed. Models of the subjects dentition are fabricated from the conventional tray impressions and are then articulated using the bite registration (9) without requiring a wax block step.