Open Bite Scanning for Accurate Dental Arch Alignment
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional dental and orthodontal scanning methods fail to accurately capture the relative position between the upper and lower arches of teeth in a natural bite position, leading to inefficiencies and potential misalignment in oral insert generation.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of an open bite position scanning system that uses a fluid reservoir, pump, and customized oral insert with manifolds and fluid nozzles, allowing for efficient and accurate scanning of the upper and lower arches in a natural bite position, and enabling rapid teeth cleaning through fluid jets.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If traditional dental scanning methods are used to scan upper and lower arches separately, then the scanning process is simple and equipment requirements are low, but the relative position between upper and lower arches in natural bite position cannot be accurately captured
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the scanning of upper and lower arches into a single integrated process by using a bite registration device that holds both arches in their natural bite relationship. The imaging system captures both arches simultaneously in one scan, eliminating the need for separate scanning procedures and manually combining digital impressions. This merging approach maintains measurement precision while managing device complexity through automation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a bite registration device as an intermediary component that facilitates the accurate capture of relative position between upper and lower arches. This device serves as a mediator that maintains the natural bite relationship during scanning, allowing the imaging system to capture both arches in their correct spatial relationship without requiring complex positioning mechanisms.
2Productivity
If manual alignment of digital impressions is performed, then device complexity is low, but time consumption increases and alignment accuracy may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the manual mechanical alignment process with an automated image processing system. The system uses software algorithms to automatically align the scanned images of upper and lower arches based on anatomical landmarks and spatial relationships captured during scanning. This substitution eliminates manual intervention, significantly reducing time consumption while improving alignment accuracy through consistent automated processing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary capture of the relative position information during the initial scanning process. By capturing both arches in their natural bite relationship from the start, the system prepares all necessary data for automatic alignment before the actual processing begins. This preliminary action eliminates the need for subsequent manual alignment steps, improving productivity without requiring complex real-time adjustment mechanisms.
3Loss of time
If oral insert generation is delayed until after scanning, then scanning equipment remains simple, but overall treatment time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the scanning and oral insert generation processes into an integrated workflow. The system captures all necessary data during a single scanning session in natural bite position, then automatically processes this data to generate the oral insert design immediately afterward. This combination eliminates delays between separate scanning and design phases, reducing total time while managing complexity through automated integration.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent maintains continuous useful action by seamlessly transitioning from scanning to oral insert generation without interruptive manual steps. The automated system processes the captured images and data continuously, generating the oral insert design as a direct output of the scanning process. This continuous workflow eliminates idle time and manual transfer steps, reducing overall time loss while the automation handles the increased system complexity.
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 solution allows for precise generation of oral inserts that improve dental hygiene by enabling quick and effective teeth cleaning, reducing the time required from two minutes with a toothbrush to as little as seven seconds, while minimizing material and resource usage.
Implementation Method 1
the pump causes fluid to exit the fluid reservoir and to be directed towards the oral anatomy of the user via the plurality of manifolds and the plurality of fluid nozzles
Data Source
AI summary
An upper arch model of a user is obtained. A lower arch model of the user is obtained. An image associated with an oral anatomy of the user is obtained. The image, the upper arch model, and the lower arch model are analyzed to determine a relative alignment between an upper arch of the user and a lower arch of the user. An oral insert is generated, having a plurality of fluid nozzles and a plurality of fluid manifolds for the user based on the analysis of the image, the upper arch model, and the lower arch model.