Pivoting Dental Cap for Angulated Implant Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing dental attachments, particularly those using O-ring or resilient ring designs, fail to effectively accommodate angulated abutments, leading to wear and instability under uneven biting forces due to their reliance on straight alignments.
Innovation Solution
A dental attachment system featuring an abutment member with an elastomeric ring and a retainer ring, along with a cap that provides vertical resilience and pivoting action, allowing for engagement with both straight and divergent implants or teeth, thereby compensating for off-angle placements without flexing the O-ring.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If O-ring or resilient ring attachments are used with straight alignment, then vertical resilience is provided, but they fail to accommodate angulated abutments and cause wear and instability under uneven biting forces
Solution Approach 1:
The cap is designed to pivot or swivel relative to the retainer ring and abutment member, transforming the static attachment system into a dynamic one. This pivoting action allows the cap to adapt to divergent implant angles while the elastomeric ring maintains vertical resilience, resolving the contradiction between stability and adaptability
Solution Approach 2:
The retainer ring features a rounded outer surface and the cap has a rounded, concave inner surface, creating a spherical interface that enables pivoting motion. This curvature design allows the attachment to accommodate angulated abutments while maintaining continuous contact and stability
2Ease of manufacture
If a fixed, straight-aligned attachment system is used, then manufacturing is simple, but it cannot compensate for off-angle implant placements
Solution Approach 1:
The attachment system incorporates a pivoting cap that can rotate relative to the retainer ring, adding adaptability for off-angle placements without significantly complicating the manufacturing process. The components remain relatively simple in form while gaining functional versatility
3Adaptability or versatility
If a pivoting cap with rounded surfaces is used, then adaptability to divergent implants is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The attachment system is divided into distinct functional components: an abutment member for implant attachment, an elastomeric ring for vertical resilience, a retainer ring for securing the elastomeric ring, and a cap for pivoting engagement. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized for its specific function while maintaining overall simplicity
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 system enhances stability and adaptability by allowing vertical movement and pivoting, effectively distributing stress and accommodating divergent implants or teeth, reducing wear and improving the fit of dental appliances.
Implementation Method 1
an elastomeric ring for engagement in a groove on the abutment member
Implementation Method 2
the cap having a rounded, concave inner surface adapted for swivel engagement over the rounded outer surface of the retainer ring
Data Source
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AI summary
A dental attachment system has an abutment member configured for attachment to a tooth root, implant, or adjacent tooth, the abutment member having a head and an annular seat adjacent the head. An elastomeric ring is configured for releasable engagement in the seat on the abutment member, and is retained in a retainer ring which in turn is in swivel engagement with a concave inner surface of a cavity in a cap which is secured in a recess in a dental appliance such as a denture, partial denture, or the like.