Oral Device Combining Mandibular Advancement and Vacuum Therapy
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current treatments for obstructive sleep apnea, such as CPAP and mandibular advancement devices, suffer from high non-compliance due to discomfort, noise, and risk of tooth displacement, and do not effectively maintain airway patency in all patients.
Innovation Solution
An oral device that simultaneously advances the lower jaw and depresses the tongue's medial region while applying a vacuum in the oral cavity, combining mandibular advancement with oral pressure therapy to clear the airway, allowing for reduced application of either method to minimize discomfort and enhance effectiveness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If mandibular advancement devices are used to treat sleep apnea, then airway patency is improved, but jaw discomfort and tooth displacement occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines mandibular advancement with oral pressure therapy in a single integrated device. The oral device includes both a mandibular advancement component that repositions the lower jaw forward and a vacuum therapy component that applies negative pressure to the oral cavity, creating a synergistic effect that improves airway patency while reducing the adverse effects of each individual therapy.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent modifies the parameters of mandibular advancement by integrating it with vacuum pressure therapy. The combination allows for reduced degrees of jaw advancement compared to traditional devices, thereby minimizing tooth displacement and jaw discomfort while maintaining therapeutic effectiveness through the added vacuum pressure component.
2Reliability
If CPAP therapy is used to maintain airway patency, then airway openness is improved, but patient comfort deteriorates due to mask bulkiness and noise
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the core therapeutic function of CPAP (maintaining airway patency through pressure) and implements it through an oral device that uses vacuum pressure applied to the oral cavity. This eliminates the need for the bulky external mask and noisy compressor system, providing the same therapeutic benefit through a more comfortable, portable, and silent oral appliance.
3Reliability
If higher degrees of mandibular advancement are applied, then airway clearance is improved, but tooth displacement and jaw discomfort increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges mandibular advancement with vacuum pressure therapy to achieve airway clearance through two simultaneous mechanisms. This combination allows for reduced mandibular advancement angles compared to traditional devices, as the vacuum pressure component contributes additional airway opening effect, thereby reducing tooth displacement and jaw discomfort while maintaining therapeutic efficacy.
4Reliability
If oral pressure therapy alone is used, then airway patency is improved in some patients, but effectiveness is insufficient for broader patient populations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a multi-functional device that combines mandibular advancement and vacuum pressure therapy, making it universally applicable to broader patient populations. The integrated design allows the device to address different anatomical variations and pathophysiological mechanisms of sleep apnea, providing effective treatment for patients who may not respond adequately to either therapy alone.
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 improves airway patency for a broader population of patients with obstructive sleep apnea, reducing discomfort and risk of tooth displacement, and is more effective than either method alone, with adjustable components for patient sensitivity.
Implementation Method 1
By drawing a vacuum in the oral cavity, the soft palate can be drawn forward to open the airway
Data Source
AI summary
An oral device for temporary placement in a patient's oral cavity includes upper and lower jaw braces and a tongue-engaging member. The upper and lower jaw braces are connected so that the lower jaw brace is advanced in an anterior direction relative to the upper jaw brace when the upper and lower jaw braces are closed together. A partial vacuum is drawn in the oral cavity and the vacuum and lower jaw displacement together control the position of the tongue in order to clear the patient's airway to reduce sleep apnea or treat other conditions.