Monobloc Dental Instruments for Edentulous Arch Scanning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing dental instruments for intraoral scanning of edentulous arches are inefficient, causing repeated procedures, discomfort for patients, and increased costs due to material waste and complex production processes.
Innovation Solution
A kit of dental instruments designed with a monobloc structure, optimized for intraoral scanning, which includes instruments for spreading tissues, stabilizing them, facilitating saliva removal, guiding the scanner, and maintaining optimal scanning distance, thereby allowing for rapid, accurate, and predictable scans.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If traditional impression materials and standard impression trays are used, then the scanning process can be performed, but the procedure requires repeated sessions, causes patient discomfort, and generates material waste
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a digital copy of the patient's oral cavity geometry through intraoral scanning, replacing the physical impression material copy. The scanner captures precise 3D geometric data directly from the edentulous arches, eliminating the need for physical impression materials that require multiple sessions and causing discomfort.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical impression taking system (physical trays and materials) with an optical/digital scanning system. The intraoral scanner uses optical fields to capture geometric information, substituting the mechanical process of material placement and hardening with a non-contact digital measurement approach.
2Adaptability or versatility
If standard impression trays with medium dimensions are used, then the trays can be applied to everyone's mouth, but this involves approximation and requires large quantities of material causing dimensional changes and inaccuracies
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs dynamic adjustment of the scanning system to adapt to different patient anatomies. The scanner can be positioned and adjusted to scan edentulous arches of various sizes and shapes, with the software dynamically processing the captured data to create accurate 3D models regardless of the specific patient geometry.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the fundamental parameter of measurement from physical material dimension to digital geometric data. By capturing point-cloud data and converting it to 3D models, the system eliminates dimensional changes associated with material expansion/contraction, achieving precise measurements without relying on physical material properties.
3Ease of manufacture
If monobloc instruments are used, then production is simplified and durability is improved, but the instruments must be designed with specific shapes and structures optimized for scanning
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple functional elements into single monobloc instruments. Each instrument integrates the handle, scanning mechanism, tissue spreading elements, and guiding features into a single integrated component, eliminating the need for separate parts and assembly operations while maintaining specialized functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The monobloc instruments are designed with multi-functionality, where each instrument can perform multiple operations (spreading tissues, stabilizing, guiding scanner, maintaining distance) through integrated structural features. This universal design reduces the total number of separate instruments needed while maintaining specialized capabilities.
Data Source
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AI summary
Kit (1) of dental instruments for intraoral scanning, said kit comprising at least an instrument for the left side lower arch (10, 100, 1000) of the patient, at least an instrument for the right side lower arch of the patient, the latter being structurally mirrored with respect to said instrument for the left side lower arch of the patient, at least an instrument for the upper arch (50, 500, 5000) of the patient, all of said instruments each having one handle and two arms, said instruments for the lower arch each having a curved arm directed in lateral direction with respect to the handle and one curved arm directed in front direction, said instrument for the upper arch having the arms configured mirror-like of which one with one configured in right lateral direction and the other in left lateral direction, said lateral arms being adapted to spread the cheeks and/or the tongue, as in the case of the front arm of the instruments for the lower arch, and allow the sliding of a scanner on their body, said kit (1) of dental instruments being characterized in that each of said instruments comprised therein is represented by a single body.