Orthodontic Registration Assembly for Precise Appliance Placement

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Solution Overview

Problem

Indirect orthodontic bonding methods face challenges such as difficulty in placing and orienting small orthodontic appliances in a bonding tray, leading to excess bonding material deposition on patients' teeth.

Innovation Solution

An orthodontic system comprising a registration assembly with registration features that match the patient's mouth geometry and a separate appliance assembly with mating elements, allowing precise alignment and secure attachment of orthodontic appliances without excess bonding material.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If indirect bonding is used to speed up the process, then bonding speed is improved, but placement precision and orientation accuracy deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebonding speedVSAvoidplacement precision

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The system is divided into two separate assemblies: a registration assembly that ensures precise alignment through anatomical landmarks, and an appliance assembly that holds the orthodontic appliances. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently for its specific function while working together to achieve both speed and precision.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The registration assembly acts as an intermediary between the patient's anatomy and the appliance assembly. It features registration elements that contact specific anatomical landmarks, serving as a mediator to transfer precise positioning information to the appliances without requiring direct manual placement by the clinician.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of manufacture

If bonding material is applied to appliances before placement, then the bonding process is simplified, but excess bonding material is deposited on teeth

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebonding process simplicityVSAvoidexcess bonding material

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The bonding material application step is extracted from the appliance preparation phase and delayed until the registration assembly is positioned in the patient's mouth. This allows bonding material to be applied only at the precise locations where appliances will be attached, eliminating excess material deposition on adjacent teeth.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The registration assembly is positioned and secured in the patient's mouth before bonding material is applied. This preliminary positioning action establishes the exact location and orientation of each appliance, ensuring that subsequent bonding material application occurs only where needed and prevents contamination of surrounding areas.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS20250302591A1Orthodontic systems and methods of using same

Publication Date: 2025.10.02 SMILENEXT INC

AI summary

In some embodiments, apparatuses and methods are provided herein useful to orthodontic systems. In some embodiments, an orthodontic system comprises a registration assembly comprising a first main body, at least one registration feature configured to contact a feature in a patient's mouth to align the orthodontic system in the patient's mouth, and a first mating element including at least one post extending from the first main body, and an appliance assembly comprising a second main body, a plurality of support structures extending from the second main body, a plurality of orthodontic appliances secured to the second main body via the plurality of support structures, and at least one aperture extending into the second main body, wherein the at least one aperture is configured to mate with the first mating element.