Customizable Oral Appliance with Real-Time Sensor Feedback for Sleep Apnea
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current oral appliances for treating obstructive sleep apnea do not adequately address individual anatomical variances and can lead to long-term temporomandibular joint disorders and muscular aggravation, with a low compliance rate due to inadequate customization and excessive advancement leading to discomfort.
Innovation Solution
A customizable oral appliance with a mouthpiece designed to fit individual dentition and soft tissues, incorporating sensors such as reflectance pulse oximeters, sound measuring devices, and electromyogram sensors to monitor oxygen saturation, breathing patterns, and muscle activity, which can adjust the jaw position to prevent obstruction and reduce discomfort.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If standardized oral appliances are used to advance the mandible, then the airway obstruction is relieved, but individual anatomical variances are not addressed and TMJ disorders occur
Solution Approach 1:
The oral appliance is divided into separate upper and lower dental trays that can be independently adjusted. The lower dental tray includes adjustment mechanisms that allow customization of mandibular advancement degree, while the upper tray provides stable retention. This segmentation enables individualized fitting for each patient's anatomy while maintaining effective airway opening.
Solution Approach 2:
The appliance incorporates adjustable components that allow dynamic modification of the mandibular advancement degree. The lower dental tray can be repositioned relative to the upper tray to achieve optimal advancement for each patient, and this degree of advancement can be modified over time based on treatment response and comfort, preventing TMJ disorders while maintaining effectiveness.
2Reliability
If excessive mandibular advancement is applied, then airway obstruction is relieved, but TMJ disorders and muscular aggravation occur
Solution Approach 1:
The appliance includes sensors that monitor jaw position, muscle activity, and airway patency in real-time. This feedback is transmitted to a control system that automatically adjusts the mandibular advancement degree to maintain optimal airway opening while preventing excessive advancement that would cause TMJ disorders or muscle aggravation. The system learns from patient responses and fine-tunes the advancement degree over time.
Solution Approach 2:
The appliance enables dynamic adjustment of the mandibular advancement parameter based on real-time monitoring of physiological responses. By changing the advancement degree incrementally and monitoring patient comfort and airway patency, the system identifies the optimal parameter range that maintains airway openness without causing harmful effects to the TMJ or surrounding muscles.
3Ease of manufacture
If standardized oral appliances are used, then manufacturing is simplified, but compliance rate decreases due to discomfort
Solution Approach 1:
The appliance is manufactured as separate modular components (upper tray, lower tray with adjustment mechanism) that can be produced using standardized processes. The modular design allows for efficient manufacturing while enabling individualized assembly and adjustment for each patient, improving comfort and compliance without significantly increasing manufacturing complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The appliance incorporates multiple functions within a single device: mandibular advancement, real-time monitoring of physiological parameters, automatic adjustment capability, and comfort optimization. This multi-functionality is achieved through integrated sensors and control systems that work together to provide personalized treatment, improving patient compliance while maintaining reasonable manufacturing complexity through modular architecture.
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 appliance effectively treats obstructive sleep apnea by providing personalized fit and real-time data monitoring, reducing the risk of long-term joint and muscular disorders, and improving compliance by ensuring optimal jaw positioning and comfort.
Implementation Method 1
The oral appliance may include a reflectance pulse oximeter, a sound measuring device, and/or an electromyogram sensor
Implementation Method 2
The oral appliance may include a reflectance pulse oximeter, a sound measuring device, and/or an electromyogram sensor configured to provide real-time data regarding a user's oxygen saturation, breathing pattern, and/or clenching/grinding behaviors
Implementation Method 3
The oral appliance may include a reflectance pulse oximeter, a sound measuring device, and/or an electromyogram sensor configured to provide real-time data regarding a user's oxygen saturation, breathing pattern, and/or clenching/grinding behaviors
Implementation Method 4
The oral appliance may include a reflectance pulse oximeter, a sound measuring device, and/or an electromyogram sensor configured to provide real-time data regarding a user's oxygen saturation, breathing pattern, and/or clenching/grinding behaviors
Data Source
AI summary
An oral appliance for treating sleep apnea in a user includes a mouthpiece configured for being positioned in an oral cavity of the user, a processor, and at least one sensor coupled to the mouthpiece. According to an aspect, the processor may be configured to detect a condition of a user based on data generated by the at least one sensor. Additionally, the sensor may include at least one of a sound measuring device, an inertial measurement unit, a pulse oximeter, or an electroencephalogram.