Orthodontic Alignment Devices With Palatal Force Anchoring
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing dental appliances often cause unwanted teeth movement and tissue damage due to excessive forces applied to the gingiva and palate during orthodontic repositioning.
Innovation Solution
The use of palatal/gingiva contour anchorage (PCA) features in dental appliances that match the surface contour of the palate and gingiva to disperse reaction forces, reducing pressure below a threshold that causes tissue damage, and balancing forces applied to the teeth.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If conventional dental appliances apply forces to move teeth during orthodontic repositioning, then teeth alignment is improved, but unwanted teeth movement and tissue damage occur due to excessive forces on the gingiva and palate
Solution Approach 1:
The appliance is segmented into distinct functional regions: a tooth-contacting portion that applies forces to teeth and an anchorage portion that contacts the palate/gingiva. This segmentation allows independent optimization of force application zones, concentrating force where needed for tooth movement while dispersing reaction forces over a larger palatal area to prevent tissue damage.
Solution Approach 2:
Different portions of the appliance have different structural properties tailored to their specific functions. The tooth-contacting portion is designed with features for precise force application to specific teeth, while the anchorage portion has a larger surface area and different geometry optimized for force dispersion on the palate, creating local quality variations that resolve the contradiction between effective tooth movement and tissue protection.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If anchorage portion increases surface area to disperse reaction forces, then tissue damage is reduced, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The anchorage portion is merged with the tooth-contacting portion as a single integrated appliance structure rather than separate components. This combining allows the appliance to function as a unified force system where the palatal anchorage and tooth-contacting elements work together, reducing overall device complexity while achieving force dispersion through the integrated design.
Solution Approach 2:
The anchorage portion serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides reaction force balance for tooth movement, disperses forces to prevent tissue damage, and maintains appliance stability. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional separate components, thereby managing device complexity while achieving tissue protection.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods of fabricating orthodontic alignment devices. First forces may be applied to teeth of a digital model to simulate movement of the teeth from one stage of an ordered sequence of stages to a next stage. The first forces may include one or more unwanted forces that move one or more teeth of the digital model in an unwanted direction. One or more forces may be applied to the palate of the digital model that results in second forces applied to the teeth of the digital model to replace or offset the one or more unwanted forces. A shape for the orthodontic alignment device may be determined based on the first and second forces applied to the teeth and in combination with the one or more forces applied to the palate of the digital model. An orthodontic alignment device may be fabricated based on the determined shape.