Remote Dental Impressions Kit for Teleconsultation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional dental consultations are time-consuming and often require in-person visits, limiting access to aesthetic dental treatments and comprehensive care, especially during pandemics when dental offices may be closed.
Innovation Solution
A remote dental impressions kit and method that allows patients to take their own dental impressions using low viscosity vinyl polysiloxane and transmit them to a dentist for remote consultation and treatment planning, incorporating facial scans and photos for comprehensive design.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If traditional dental consultation is used, then comprehensive patient care and visual communication are provided, but it requires in-person visits which are time-consuming and difficult to access
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses digital copies of dental impressions and facial scans to replace physical in-person visits. Patients can send digital files of their teeth and facial structure to dentists for remote consultation, allowing comprehensive evaluation without requiring the patient to travel to the dental office.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical in-person consultation system with a digital communication system. Physical impression trays and scanning devices are used to capture digital data that can be transmitted electronically, substituting the need for physical presence with digital file transfer.
2Loss of information
If traditional dental consultation is used, then visual communication and outcome demonstration are possible, but it requires the patient to physically go to the office
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates digital copies of the patient's dental structure through high-resolution scans and photographs. These digital files preserve all visual information needed for consultation and treatment planning, allowing the dentist to view and discuss outcomes with the patient remotely without the patient needing to visit the office.
3Measurement precision
If existing impression devices are used, then dental impression data can be captured, but they do not use low viscosity vinyl polysiloxane which limits the quality of impressions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent specifies using low viscosity vinyl polysiloxane as the impression material, changing the material parameter to achieve better flow and detail capture. This material choice allows the impression to conform precisely to the patient's dental structure, improving measurement precision while keeping the device design relatively simple.
4Adaptability or versatility
If existing services are used, then aligners can be provided direct to consumer, but full service dental design and comprehensive patient care are not offered
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal remote consultation system that can handle multiple treatment types including orthodontic aligners, cosmetic veneers, and restorative work. The same digital impression and scanning infrastructure supports comprehensive dental design and consultation for various procedures, making the service versatile without requiring separate complex systems for each treatment type.
Data Source
AI summary
A remote dental impressions kit includes an impression material, one or more impression trays, and a way to transmit a patient-produced dental impression to a dental provider. The kit makes dental care more efficient for the patient and provider. A method of remote initial dental treatment includes obtaining a still photographic image of a patient remotely from the patient; determining patient suitability for remote treatment; providing the kit to the patient; obtaining the patient-produced dental impression remotely from the patient; determining a preferred method of treatment from remote communication with the patient; and obtaining or producing a dental treatment prepared from the patient-produced dental impression. The dentist can prepare a 3-dimensional print of the patient's teeth by milling or stereolithography to guide the care provided. The kit helps visualize the proposed treatment(s) for the patient during initial consult visits, communicate to lab, and serve as a “prep guide”.