Orthodontic Device with Offset Wire Receiver for Tooth Eruption
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for accelerating the eruption of partially erupted teeth, such as sequential bracket placement, use of elastics, surgery, and wire bending, are inconvenient, time-consuming, invasive, or provide limited control over tooth movement, and often require multiple visits to the dentist.
Innovation Solution
An orthodontic device with an offset wire receiving portion that allows the brace wire to be positioned at or closer to the optimal position without exposing the tooth, using a bracket with a body bonded to the tooth and an arm extending away from the body, featuring a wire receiving portion offset from the body to apply force effectively.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a conventional dental bracket is bonded to a partially erupted tooth, then the bracket can be positioned on the exposed surface, but the bracket cannot be placed at the optimal position because there is not enough exposed surface above the gum line
Solution Approach 1:
The invention introduces an offset dimension by extending the wire receiving portion away from the bracket body along an offset axis. This allows the wire receiving portion to be positioned in three-dimensional space at a location that would be inaccessible if constrained to the tooth surface plane, thereby resolving the contradiction between positioning accuracy and available surface area.
2Speed
If sequential bracket placement is performed multiple times to accelerate tooth eruption, then the tooth can be moved to the optimal position, but the process becomes inconvenient, time-consuming and expensive
Solution Approach 1:
The offset wire receiving portion is pre-positioned at the optimal location during bracket fabrication, eliminating the need for multiple sequential bracket placements. The preliminary design incorporates the future optimal position into the initial bracket structure, allowing single-visit treatment and significantly reducing total treatment time.
3Speed
If elastics are used to accelerate tooth eruption, then the tooth can be moved more quickly, but the patient experiences discomfort and difficulty cleaning, and patient compliance becomes an issue
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and eliminates the need for elastics by integrating the wire receiving portion directly into the bracket structure at the optimal position. This removes the external elastic components that cause discomfort and hygiene issues, while still achieving accelerated tooth eruption through the pre-positioned wire application.
4Manufacturing precision
If surgery is performed to remove gum tissue and expose more tooth surface, then the bracket can be attached at the optimal position, but the procedure carries risks of complications, gum inflammation or infection
Solution Approach 1:
The offset wire receiving portion acts as an intermediary structure that bridges the gap between the accessible bracket bonding location and the optimal wire positioning location. This mechanical intermediary eliminates the need for surgical intervention to expose more tooth surface, as the offset structure allows optimal wire placement while bonding to the accessible exposed surface.
5Speed
If bends are placed in the brace wire to encourage faster eruption, then tooth eruption may be accelerated, but it becomes harder to brush around the brace wire and remove trapped food
Solution Approach 1:
The wire receiving portion is pre-positioned at the optimal location during bracket fabrication, allowing the brace wire to be inserted straight without requiring complex bends. This preliminary positioning of the wire receiving structure enables both accelerated eruption and easier oral hygiene maintenance by eliminating the need for intricate wire configurations.
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 orthodontic device enables faster and more convenient tooth eruption, reducing the need for surgery and minimizing visits to the dentist, while providing controlled tooth movement for cosmetic alignment.
Implementation Method 1
Brace wire is often made from nitinol and can remember its shape. When deformed, the brace wire inherently straightens itself to reform its original shape.
Data Source
AI summary
An orthodontic device for use in a dental brace for advancing eruption of a tooth, the device comprising a body including abase for bonding to the tooth, an arm extending away from the body, and a wire receiving portion disposed on the arm in a position offset from the body, the wire receiving portion being arranged for receiving part of a brace wire on an axis which in use extends substantially across the tooth.