Orthodontic Appliance with Adjustable Elongated Arm for Mandible Repositioning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing orthodontic appliances for mandible repositioning often cause undesired tooth movement due to the forces exerted, particularly when using elastics or springs extending between anterior and posterior teeth, as they lack effective mechanisms to maintain proper spacing and anchorage, leading to inventory challenges and increased manufacturing costs.
Innovation Solution
A distalizing orthodontic appliance with a removably attached elongated member between a posterior post and an anterior button, allowing adjustable length and rotation, which can be easily fabricated and adapted in the mouth, reducing inventory needs and enabling versatile anchorage adjustments.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Force
If elastics or springs are used to exert forces for mandible repositioning, then the mandible can be biased toward a desired position, but undesired tooth movement occurs due to lack of effective spacing maintenance
Solution Approach 1:
The appliance is divided into distinct segments: a posterior segment with a post attached to a molar, an anterior segment with a button attached to an anterior tooth, and a removable elongated member connecting them. This segmentation allows independent control of anchorage and spacing functions.
Solution Approach 2:
The removable elongated member acts as an intermediary component between the posterior post and anterior button. It transmits forces while allowing adjustment of spacing, thereby mediating between the force application needed for mandible repositioning and the spacing maintenance needed to prevent undesired tooth movement.
2Manufacturing precision
If fixed-length appliances are used for spacing control, then proper spacing can be maintained, but inventory complexity and manufacturing costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The appliance uses a universal design where the posterior post and anterior button remain standard components, while the elongated member can be removed, adjusted, or replaced. This allows a single basic appliance design to serve multiple spacing requirements by simply changing the elongated member length, eliminating the need for multiple fixed-length appliance variants.
Solution Approach 2:
The elongated member is designed to be removable and adjustable in length, transforming the appliance from a static fixed-length design to a dynamic adjustable design. This allows the spacing to be modified during treatment as teeth move, providing adaptability without requiring multiple appliance types.
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 provides a 'one-size-fits-all' solution, reducing inventory and manufacturing costs, allowing for precise spacing and movement control, minimizing tooth movement during mandible repositioning, and facilitating Class II and III malocclusion corrections with improved compliance and hygiene.
Implementation Method 1
An elastic extends from either the post or button to an attachment point on the patient's lower dental arch to exert a force between the patient's maxilla and mandible
Data Source
AI summary
An orthodontic appliance has a post attached to a first upper tooth, and a button with a recess attached to a second upper tooth. An elongated arm has an eye at one end through which the post is inserted to allow the elongated arm to rotate about the post, and a tip at the other end for removable insertion into the recess of the button. The length of the elongated arm is selectable to maintain a desired spacing between the first and second upper teeth (e.g., by cutting the tip of the elongated arm). An elastic extends from either the post or button to an attachment point on the patient's lower dental arch to exert a force between the patient's maxilla and mandible.