Orthodontic Accessory With Guiding Surface And Force-Applying Angles

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional accessories for shell-shaped tooth repositioners in orthodontic treatments fail to provide convenience in putting on and removing, easy placement, and the application of sufficient forces, leading to undesired tooth movement due to tipping torque.

Innovation Solution

A 3D accessory with a bottom surface, guiding surface, and N successively-adjoined force-applying surfaces, where the transition between the guiding surface and the tooth is gentle, and the force-applying surfaces have an angle between 60° and 120°, allowing for effective force application and easy placement of the shell-shaped tooth repositioner.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If conventional accessories are used with shell-shaped tooth repositioners, then the repositioner can apply forces to the tooth, but the accessory fails to provide convenience in putting on and removing, easy placement, and sufficient force application

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveconvenience of putting on and removing the shell-shaped tooth repositionerVSAvoidability to exert sufficient forces

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The accessory is segmented into multiple functional surfaces: a bottom surface for adhesion to the tooth, a guiding surface for easy placement, and N force-applying surfaces for exerting forces. This segmentation allows each surface to be optimized for its specific function, resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The invention transitions from conventional single-surface accessories to a multi-surface three-dimensional structure. The accessory comprises a bottom surface, a guiding surface, and N successively-adjoined force-applying surfaces, creating a complex 3D geometry that simultaneously achieves easy placement (through the guiding surface) and sufficient force application (through multiple force-applying surfaces at specific angles).

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Ease of operation

If conventional accessories are used with shell-shaped tooth repositioners, then the repositioner can apply forces to the tooth, but the accessory fails to provide easy placement of the shell-shaped tooth repositioner in position

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveeasy placement of the shell-shaped tooth repositioner in positionVSAvoidcomplexity of the accessory structure

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Different regions of the accessory have different geometric properties optimized for their local functions. The guiding surface has a gentler transition angle for easy placement, while the force-applying surfaces have steeper angles (60°-120°) for effective force application. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction between ease of placement and structural complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Reliability

If conventional accessories are used with shell-shaped tooth repositioners, then the repositioner can apply forces to the tooth, but the accessory fails to prevent undesired tooth tipping due to excessive tipping torque

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveability to control tooth movement and prevent tippingVSAvoidsimplicity of the accessory design

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The accessory is designed with pre-calculated geometric parameters (N successively-adjoined force-applying surfaces at 60°-120° angles) that preliminarily establish the correct force distribution. This preliminary design ensures that when the shell-shaped tooth repositioner is placed, the forces are automatically distributed to prevent tipping torque, resolving the contradiction between reliability and simplicity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS20230044341A1Accessory and assembly of accessory and shell-shaped tooth repositioner

Publication Date: 2023.02.09 WUXI EA BIOTECHNOLOGY LTD

AI summary

Provided is an accessory for being fixed on tooth and enabling a shell-shaped tooth repositioner to apply forces to the tooth, wherein the accessory is a 3D body enclosed by a bottom surface, a guiding surface and N successively-adjoined force-applying surfaces, the accessory can be fixed on the tooth by bonding the bottom surface and a surface of the tooth, the bottom surface and the guiding surface adjoin each of the N successively adjoined force applying surface, transition between the guidance surface and the surface of the tooth is gentler than transition between each of the N force-applying surfaces and the surface of the tooth, N is a natural number greater than or equal to 2, among the N successively-adjoined force-applying surfaces, an angle between a first force-applying surface and the Nth force applying surface is greater than or equal to 60° and less than or equal to 120°.