Ultrasonic Orthodontic Debonding Tool Bit with Abrasive Coating
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Solution Overview
Problem
The removal of orthodontic brackets made from fragile materials like ceramics and polycarbonates using traditional manual tools poses a risk of enamel fracture and bracket damage, as they require excessive force, and existing ultrasonic tools may also cause tooth surface damage.
Innovation Solution
An ultrasonic orthodontic debonding tool with a tool bit featuring a handpiece-engaging portion, a curved portion, and a working end with beveled cutting surfaces coated with abrasive material for cutting and polishing, designed to safely remove brackets and excess adhesive without damaging the enamel, utilizing an ultrasonic handpiece for vibration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manual debonding tools are used to remove orthodontic brackets, then the brackets can be removed from teeth, but the risk of enamel fracture and bracket damage increases due to excessive force required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual mechanical debonding tools with an ultrasonic debonding system. The ultrasonic handpiece generates high-frequency vibrations (20-50 kHz) that mechanically disrupt the adhesive bond between brackets and teeth, eliminating the need for excessive manual torque and prying forces that cause enamel fracture and bracket damage.
Solution Approach 2:
The ultrasonic handpiece generates high-frequency mechanical vibrations (20-50 kHz) that are transmitted to the bracket-adhesive interface. These vibrations create micro-fractures and disrupt the adhesive bond, allowing for gentle and safe bracket removal without requiring excessive manual force, thus protecting both enamel and bracket integrity.
2Ease of operation
If existing ultrasonic tools are used for bracket removal, then debonding can be performed with less force, but tooth surface damage may still occur
Solution Approach 1:
The debonding instrument features a selectively coated surface where only specific areas (the working tip) are coated with abrasive material, while other portions remain uncoated or have different surface properties. This localized coating ensures that ultrasonic energy is concentrated and controlled at the bracket-adhesive interface, preventing excessive abrasion or damage to surrounding tooth structure while maintaining effective debonding at the target site.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs controlled ultrasonic parameters (frequency 20-50 kHz, power levels) combined with specific abrasive coating materials and configurations. By optimizing these parameters, the system achieves effective adhesive removal while controlling the intensity of mechanical action to prevent tooth surface damage, balancing debonding efficiency with enamel protection.
3Device complexity
If traditional manual tools are used for bracket removal, then the procedure can be performed with simple equipment, but chair-side time is extended
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces slow manual mechanical debonding with an ultrasonic system that operates at high frequency (20-50 kHz). This substitution dramatically accelerates the debonding process by using vibrational energy to rapidly disrupt adhesive bonds, reducing chair-side time while the handpiece design maintains relative equipment simplicity and ease of use.
Solution Approach 2:
The ultrasonic handpiece delivers periodic high-frequency vibrations (20-50 kHz) to the bracket-adhesive interface, creating cumulative mechanical disruption that rapidly breaks down the adhesive bond. This periodic action is far more efficient than continuous manual pressure, significantly reducing the time required for safe and effective bracket removal.
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 tool effectively reduces the risk of enamel and bracket damage, shortens chair-side time, and minimizes patient discomfort by efficiently cutting and polishing away adhesives, allowing for quicker and safer bracket removal.
Implementation Method 1
an ultrasonic orthodontic debonding tool with a tool bit featuring a handpiece-engaging portion, a curved portion, and a working end with beveled cutting surfaces coated with abrasive material for cutting and polishing, designed to safely remove brackets and excess adhesive without damaging the enamel, utilizing an ultrasonic handpiece for vibration
Implementation Method 2
beveled cutting surfaces coated with abrasive material for cutting and polishing
Data Source
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AI summary
A tool bit for removing orthodontic brackets includes a handpiece-engaging portion, a shaft portion, a curved portion and a working end portion. The curved portion provides sufficient offset to present the end portion in a substantially co-planar relationship with a tooth surface. The working end portion includes at least one beveled cutting surface for cutting away the adhesive and at least one blunt/flat polishing surface for polishing away any residual adhesive that may remain after the bracket has been removed. The tool bit may also include a cooling fluid delivery port. Edges of the beveled surfaces may be serrated. Beveled surfaces and the top surface may be coated with an abrasive material such as diamond grit. These cutting surfaces are used to cut through the adhesive layer bonding the bracket to the tooth. The tool has a blunt/flat second edge surface for polishing away any remaining adhesive after removal of the bracket.