Saliva Diagnostic Kit for Oral Inflammation Detection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current methods for detecting and monitoring oral inflammation, such as gingivitis and periodontitis, are limited in their ability to detect early events and require invasive and costly professional dental care, making it difficult to effectively manage these conditions, especially in areas with limited access to dental care.

Innovation Solution

A method and diagnostic kit that utilize saliva samples to measure polymorphonuclear neutrophil (PMN) levels or PMN indicator substances, allowing for non-invasive, cost-effective monitoring of oral inflammation and treatment effectiveness by comparing PMN levels in test samples to control samples from before and after antimicrobial treatment.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If professional dental care is used to detect and monitor oral inflammation, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity and cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedetection of oral inflammationVSAvoidprofessional dental care system
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the diagnostic function from the complex professional dental care system and transfers it to a simple saliva test kit that can be used at home. The test kit captures the essential diagnostic capability (detecting oral inflammation through PMN measurement) while eliminating the need for complex clinical equipment and professional intervention.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent enables patients to perform their own oral inflammation monitoring at home using the saliva test kit, without requiring professional dental care. The kit is designed for self-administration, allowing patients to collect their own saliva samples and obtain diagnostic information independently.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

2Measurement precision

If professional dental care is used to detect and monitor oral inflammation, then measurement precision is improved, but loss of time and accessibility worsen

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedetection of oral inflammationVSAvoidaccess to dental care
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the diagnostic function from the complex professional dental care system and transfers it to a simple saliva test kit that can be used at home. The test kit captures the essential diagnostic capability (detecting oral inflammation through PMN measurement) while eliminating the need for complex clinical equipment and professional intervention.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent enables patients to perform their own oral inflammation monitoring at home using the saliva test kit, without requiring professional dental care. The kit is designed for self-administration, allowing patients to collect their own saliva samples and obtain diagnostic information independently.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Measurement precision

If clinical measurements of gingivitis are used, then diagnostic capability is improved, but ease of operation worsens

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveclinical measurements of gingivitisVSAvoiddetection method
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the diagnostic function from the complex professional dental care system and transfers it to a simple saliva test kit that can be used at home. The test kit captures the essential diagnostic capability (detecting oral inflammation through PMN measurement) while eliminating the need for complex clinical equipment and professional intervention.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent enables patients to perform their own oral inflammation monitoring at home using the saliva test kit, without requiring professional dental care. The kit is designed for self-administration, allowing patients to collect their own saliva samples and obtain diagnostic information independently.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

4Reliability

If early detection of oral inflammation is implemented, then treatment effectiveness is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetreatment effectivenessVSAvoiddetection system
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the diagnostic function from the complex professional dental care system and transfers it to a simple saliva test kit that can be used at home. The test kit captures the essential diagnostic capability (detecting oral inflammation through PMN measurement) while eliminating the need for complex clinical equipment and professional intervention.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent enables early detection of oral inflammation before it progresses to more severe conditions. By allowing patients to monitor their oral health regularly at home, the system detects inflammatory changes at an early stage, enabling timely intervention and more effective treatment outcomes.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP3152575B1Assay for oral inflammation
Publication Date: 2019.08.21 COLGATE PALMOLIVE CO

AI summary

Methods and kits for determining the presence or severity of oral inflammation, such as gingivitis or periodontitis wherein the determination method comprises: (a) obtaining a test sample of oral material from said subject; (b) determining the amount of polymorphonuclear neutrophil indicator substance in said test sample; and (c) comparing the amount of polymorphonuclear neutrophil indicator substance in the test sample to a control sample.