Segmented Toothbrush Bristles for Periodontal Pocket Penetration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing toothbrushes find it difficult to penetrate and clean periodontal pockets between tooth root surfaces and gums due to repulsive forces from adjacent bristles, leading to inefficient cleaning and user fatigue.
Innovation Solution
A toothbrush design featuring a head with first cleaning elements at the front end for penetrating periodontal pockets and second cleaning elements at the rear end for exposed tooth surfaces, along with a tooth space accommodating average-sized molar teeth, allowing for effective cleaning without bristle interference.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If bristles are provided on the entirety of the top surface of the head for efficient cleaning of exposed tooth surfaces, then cleaning efficiency of exposed surfaces is improved, but the bristles cannot easily penetrate into the periodontal pocket due to repulsive forces from adjacent bristles
Solution Approach 1:
The head top surface is segmented into multiple regions: a first region with first bristles for periodontal pocket cleaning, a second region with second bristles for exposed tooth surface cleaning, and a third region with third bristles for additional cleaning. This segmentation allows different bristle groups to perform specialized functions without interfering with each other, enabling both deep penetration into periodontal pockets and effective cleaning of exposed surfaces.
2Ease of operation
If the user pushes the bristles into the periodontal pocket space, then cleaning of the pocket is achieved, but the pressed bristles generate repulsive force that repels the toothbrush head and causes user fatigue
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the bristles into distinct groups with specific spacing, the repulsive forces generated during penetration are distributed across multiple independent bristle units rather than concentrating on a single dense brush head. The first bristles in the first region can penetrate the periodontal pocket with reduced resistance, while the spacing prevents excessive force buildup that would repel the toothbrush head.
Solution Approach 2:
The first bristles in the first region are specifically positioned and spaced to optimize penetration into the periodontal pocket. This local configuration provides the necessary flexibility and reduced resistance for deep cleaning, while other regions maintain different bristle arrangements optimized for their specific cleaning functions.
3Productivity
If the bristle density is increased for better cleaning coverage, then cleaning thoroughness is improved, but the repulsive force from pressed bristles increases making penetration difficult
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of uniformly increasing bristle density across the entire head, the invention segments the bristles into regions with different densities and arrangements. The first region has a configuration optimized for penetration with moderate density, while the second and third regions provide additional cleaning coverage with their own optimized densities, achieving thorough cleaning without excessive repulsive forces.
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a toothbrush including a handle, a head connected to the handle and including a first surface, a distal circumference provided at a front end of the first surface, a proximal circumference provided at a rear end of the first surface, a plurality of first cleaning elements provided at the front end of the first surface along the distal circumference, a plurality of second cleaning elements provided at the rear end of the first surface, and a tooth space corresponding to a space provided on the first surface between the first and second cleaning elements. According to the present invention, when a space between a tooth root surface and a gum, e.g., a periodontal pocket, is cleaned, pressing of bristles due to interference between the bristles and a tooth may be prevented and thus first cleaning elements may easily penetrate into the periodontal pocket.