Segmented Mouthpiece Assembly for Variable Dental Arch Fit
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing mouthpieces for oral care struggle to adapt to varying dental arches, leading to high friction, deformation of bristles, and difficulty in cleaning all teeth due to mechanical constraints.
Innovation Solution
A mouthpiece assembly with a support plate and a chain member featuring adjustable shackles that conform to the dental arch, allowing flexible adaptation and reduced bristle deformation through a configuration that accommodates different arch geometries.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the mouthpiece is made flexible to adapt to different dental arches, then adaptability is improved, but the stiffness required for power distribution and plaque disruption is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The mouthpiece is divided into multiple rigid segments (first portion, second portion, third portion) connected by hinges. Each segment maintains structural integrity and stiffness for effective plaque disruption, while the hinges between segments provide the necessary flexibility to adapt to different dental arch shapes. This segmentation allows the mouthpiece to combine rigidity where needed with flexibility where required.
Solution Approach 2:
The mouthpiece incorporates movable hinges that allow dynamic adjustment of the angle between segments. This enables the rigid segments to maintain their stiffness for power distribution and plaque disruption while the overall structure can dynamically adapt to various dental arch configurations through controlled movement at the hinge joints.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the mouthpiece is deformed by teeth to fit tooth geometry, then adaptability is improved, but bristle deformation increases and friction increases
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the mouthpiece into rigid portions connected by hinges, the structure adapts to tooth geometry through controlled angular adjustments at the hinges rather than through deformation of the entire mouthpiece or bristles. This maintains bristle integrity and reduces friction while achieving proper fit.
Solution Approach 2:
The mouthpiece changes its configuration by adjusting the angle parameters between segments at the hinges, rather than deforming the material of the mouthpiece or bristles. This parameter change approach allows adaptation to different tooth geometries while maintaining the structural integrity and reducing harmful deformation and friction.
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 easier movement and improved cleaning by reducing friction and bristle deformation, enabling effective oral care across a range of dental arches with fewer sizes of mouthpieces.
Implementation Method 1
a chain member including a plurality of shackles arranged successively on the support plate and hingeably coupled to each other
Data Source
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AI summary
Devices and methods for applying oral care with an adaptable mouthpiece assembly. The adaptable mouthpiece assembly includes a support plate configured to be inserted in a mouth of a user, and a chain member configured to accommodate a section of teeth and gum of the user.The chain member includes a plurality of shackles that are arranged successively on the support plate and that are hingeably coupled to each other. A posterior shackle is coupled to the support plate via a first fixed pivot. An anterior shackle is coupled to the support plate via a movable pivot. A configuration of the plurality of shackles is adjustable by allowing the plurality of shackles to move freely in a horizontal plane along the support plate between the first fixed pivot and the movable pivot.