Orthopedic Alignment Device for Cranio-Cervical Positioning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for determining and maintaining optimized orthopedic alignment of the head and upper cervical spine, particularly through jaw positioning, fail to address neural shear and range of motion limitations, leading to suboptimal performance and increased injury risk due to poor cranio-cervical/cranio-mandibular alignment.
Innovation Solution
A method involving ultra-low frequency TENS to relax jaw muscles, optimize temporomandibular joint alignment, and correct upper cervical spine positioning, followed by the creation of an orthopedic alignment device to maintain the optimized cranio-cervical/cranio-mandibular relationship, ensuring proper bite registration and alignment of the upper and lower jaws.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If traditional mouthpieces are used to maintain jaw position, then teeth protection and concussive impact reduction are improved, but neural shear and range of motion limitations are not addressed, leading to suboptimal performance
Solution Approach 1:
The invention divides the alignment system into two functional components: a mouthpiece for teeth protection and a headgear for cranio-cervical alignment. This segmentation allows each component to address its specific function independently while working together to achieve comprehensive alignment without compromising either teeth protection or physiologic performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention combines the mouthpiece and headgear into a single integrated alignment device that simultaneously addresses teeth protection, jaw positioning, and cranio-cervical alignment. This merging of functions resolves the contradiction by ensuring that both teeth protection and physiologic performance are achieved together rather than separately.
2Device complexity
If jaw position is maintained without addressing cranio-cervical alignment, then mouthpiece function is simplified, but neural shear in the central nervous system is not relieved
Solution Approach 1:
The invention separates the mouthpiece function from the headgear function, allowing the mouthpiece to remain relatively simple while the headgear addresses the complex cranio-cervical alignment and neural shear issues. This segmentation distributes the complexity appropriately across different components.
Solution Approach 2:
The headgear acts as an intermediary device that connects the mouthpiece to the cranio-cervical structure. It mediates between the jaw positioning function and the neural shear relief function, ensuring that both objectives are achieved without requiring the mouthpiece itself to be overly complex.
3Ease of operation
If forward head posturing is present, then jaw position may be maintained, but torque is created in the upper cervical spine and range of motion is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges jaw positioning functionality with cranio-cervical alignment functionality in a single integrated device. This ensures that forward head posturing is corrected while maintaining ease of jaw positioning, as both functions are achieved simultaneously rather than requiring separate devices.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention incorporates adjustable components that allow dynamic adaptation to different patient positions and alignment requirements. The headgear can be adjusted to accommodate varying degrees of forward head posturing while maintaining optimal cranio-cervical alignment, making the system adaptable to individual needs.
4Reliability
If optimized CC/CM alignment is achieved through multiple cycles of jaw protrusion and relaxation, then physiologic performance is maximized, but treatment time is increased
Solution Approach 1:
The invention performs preliminary alignment of the cranio-cervical complex before final jaw positioning. By establishing proper CC alignment in advance through the headgear, the subsequent jaw positioning cycles become more efficient and require fewer repetitions, reducing overall treatment time while maintaining physiologic performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention incorporates feedback mechanisms to monitor alignment progress and adjust treatment parameters accordingly. By monitoring the response to each cycle of jaw protrusion and relaxation, the practitioner can identify when optimal alignment has been achieved and modify the number of cycles required, reducing unnecessary treatment time.
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 effectively reduces neural shear, improves range of motion, enhances physiologic performance, and minimizes injury risk by maintaining the orthopedically optimized cranio-cervical/cranio-mandibular alignment, thereby promoting optimal head and neck alignment.
Implementation Method 1
Ultra Low Frequency TENS (e.g., 0.76 Hz) is applied to stimulate cranial nerve V (the trigeminal nerve), which deprograms and relaxes the muscles that support the patient's lower jaw and the mandible to identify physiologic rest of the mandible and aid in decompression of the TMJs
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods for systems and methods for improvement of a person's performance and well-being by determining and maintaining an orthopedically optimized position of the person's jaw. In one embodiment, TENS is applied to the patient's jaw muscles to relax and deprogram the muscles, the person's TMJs are evaluated and reduced, and neural shear in the patient's upper cervical spine is minimized by orthopedically aligning the patient's head and neck (CC complex), thereby causing the patient's jaw to move toward an orthopedically optimized position (CM complex). A bite registration of the upper and lower jaws is taken, with molars and premolars at least 2 millimeters apart, the front teeth not touching, and preferably a vertical index of 17-21 millimeters. Molds of the persons upper and lower teeth may be positioned using the bite registration, and an orthopedic alignment device (OAD) may be formed between the molds.