Removable Dental Appliance With Interproximal Reinforcement for Rotation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Clear tray aligners face challenges in achieving difficult tooth movements such as root movements and rotations due to insufficient forces and moments, and the use of tooth attachments is time-consuming, aesthetically undesirable, and complicates removal.
Innovation Solution
The introduction of interproximal reinforcements in removable dental appliances that extend between adjacent teeth to apply force vectors without the need for tooth attachments, enhancing engagement and retention by engaging surfaces below the height of contour.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Force
If tooth attachments are used to achieve difficult tooth movements, then force application capability is improved, but treatment time increases and aesthetics deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The appliance is segmented into multiple functional components: standard trays for general tooth movement and interproximal reinforcements for difficult movements. This segmentation allows force to be applied precisely where needed without requiring attachments on all teeth, reducing overall treatment time while maintaining force application capability for difficult movements.
Solution Approach 2:
Interproximal reinforcements act as intermediary elements between the appliance and the tooth, providing a mechanism to apply force for difficult movements without direct attachment to the tooth surface. These reinforcements engage in the interproximal space to deliver corrective forces, eliminating the need for traditional attachments.
2Force
If tooth attachments are used to achieve difficult tooth movements, then force application capability is improved, but aesthetic appearance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
Interproximal reinforcements serve as intermediary structures that achieve difficult tooth movements without visible attachments on the tooth surface. By engaging in the interproximal space between teeth, they provide the necessary force application capability while maintaining the aesthetic appearance of the teeth and gums.
Solution Approach 2:
The appliance applies local quality enhancement by adding interproximal reinforcements only in specific locations where difficult tooth movements are needed, rather than using attachments on all teeth. This localized approach maintains aesthetic appearance in visible areas while providing enhanced force application capability where required.
3Force
If tooth attachments are used to achieve difficult tooth movements, then force application capability is improved, but appliance removal difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
Interproximal reinforcements provide an intermediary mechanism for force application that does not require bonding to the tooth surface like traditional attachments. This allows the appliance to be removed easily by the patient while still providing the necessary force application capability for difficult tooth movements through engagement in the interproximal space.
4Reliability
If interproximal reinforcements engage below height of contour, then retention is improved, but force application complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of applying force at the typical height of contour on the tooth surface, the interproximal reinforcements apply force from below the height of contour in the interproximal space. This inverted approach improves retention by engaging in the undercut region while the simplified geometry of the reinforcement itself reduces force application complexity.
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
Facilitates predictable and efficient tooth movements by improving force application and retention, reducing treatment time, and enhancing patient comfort and aesthetics.
Implementation Method 1
The interproximal reinforcement is configured to engage at least one of a lingual surface of the first tooth below a height of contour of the first tooth or a labial surface of the first tooth below the height of contour to enable the appliance body to apply a force vector at a contact point on the first tooth to cause movement of the first tooth toward a desired position
Data Source
Figure 1A
Figure 1B~1C
Figure 1D~1E
AI summary
The present invention discloses a removable dental appliance comprising: an appliance body configured to at least partially surround a plurality teeth of a dental arch of a patient, wherein the appliance body comprises: a first shell shaped to engage a first tooth of the plurality of teeth in an initial position of the first tooth; and a second shell shaped to engage a second tooth of the plurality of teeth in an initial position of the second tooth, wherein the second tooth is adjacent to the first tooth; and an interproximal reinforcement comprising an integral polymeric rib on the exterior of the appliance body and extending from a first gingival edge of the appliance body on a labial side of the appliance body along an interproximal region between the first tooth and the second tooth to a second gingival edge of the appliance body on a lingual side of the appliance body, wherein the interproximal reinforcement is configured to engage at least one of a lingual surface of the first tooth below a height of contour of the first tooth or a labial surface of the first tooth below the height of contour to enable the appliance body to apply a force vector at a contact point on the first tooth to cause movement of the first tooth toward a desired position of the first tooth when the removable dental appliance is worn by the patient.