Self-Heating Electric Plugger for Root Canal Sealing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current dental implements for filling root canals with gutta percha lack a mechanism to match the tapering shape of prepared canals, leading to inadequate sealing and increased risk of treatment failure due to insufficient hydraulic pressure and leakage, requiring multiple instruments and extensive training.
Innovation Solution
A self-heating electric plugger/syringe needle made of electrically resistive material with a conductive element on its external surface, which self-heats and maintains rigidity to pack warmed gutta percha into the canal, eliminating the need for separate downpacking and backfilling devices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple separate instruments are used for downpacking and backfilling, then the sealing quality can be improved, but the device complexity and procedure time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the downpacking plugger and backfilling syringe needle into a single integrated instrument. The device features a tapered body with a heating element that can both compact gutta percha into the canal and syringe additional material into lateral canals, eliminating the need for multiple separate instruments while maintaining sealing effectiveness
Solution Approach 2:
The integrated instrument performs multiple functions: it can compact gutta percha vertically into the main canal, syringe material into lateral canals, and heat the filling material to maintain it in a thermo-plasticized state. This multi-functional design reduces device complexity while preserving the sealing quality achieved by separate instruments
2Manufacturing precision
If flame-heated or electrically-heated heat carriers are used to soften gutta percha, then the compaction quality improves, but the temperature control and instrument complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The plugger incorporates an integrated heating element that generates heat directly within the instrument body through resistive heating. This self-heating capability eliminates the need for external flame sources or complex electrical heating systems, providing simplified temperature control while maintaining the ability to soften and compact gutta percha effectively
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces traditional flame-heating mechanisms with an electrical resistive heating system integrated into the plugger body. This substitution provides more precise and controllable temperature management while simplifying the overall instrument design compared to external flame-heating methods
3Ease of operation
If the obturating device is too tapered, then it can be inserted into the canal, but the apical seal becomes inadequate causing leakage
Solution Approach 1:
The plugger features a tapered design that allows progressive insertion into the canal, with the taper angle optimized to balance insertion ease with apical seal integrity. The dynamic tapering geometry enables the instrument to navigate the canal curvature while maintaining adequate apical contact for effective sealing
4Reliability
If the obturating device is too narrow, then the apical seal is maintained, but hydraulic pressure is insufficient to seal lateral canals
Solution Approach 1:
The plugger employs varying diameters along its length, with a narrower apical portion for maintaining apical seal and a broader coronal portion for generating sufficient hydraulic pressure to seal lateral canals. This local variation in geometry allows the single instrument to address both sealing requirements effectively
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
The self-heating plugger/syringe needle provides efficient and consistent sealing of root canals by maintaining thermo-plasticized gutta percha throughout, reducing the number of instruments needed and simplifying the procedure, while ensuring adequate apical and lateral canal sealing.
Implementation Method 1
A self-heating electric plugger/syringe needle with the conductive element on the external surface of the needle... The conductive element contacts the tip of the needle, causing the needle to self-heat when electric current is supplied.
Implementation Method 2
The self-heating plugger/syringe needle provides efficient and consistent sealing of root canals by maintaining thermo-plasticized gutta percha throughout
Data Source
AI summary
A self-heating electric plugger/syringe needle (10/70) with the conductive element (50) on the external surface of the needle (10/70) is described. The needle (10/70), which can be divided into shank (30) and tip (20) portions, is hollow and is made of an electrically resistive material. A conductive element (50) located on the external surface of the needle runs along the length of its shank (30) and the length of its tip (20). An insulating material (60) located between the conductive element (50) and the external surface of the needle runs along the length of the shank (30). The conductive element (50) contacts the tip (20) of the needle, causing the needle to self-heat when electric current is supplied. A method for filling a root canal using the self-heating electric plugger/syringe needle (10/70) is also described.