Serpentine Wire Orthodontic Gag with Adjustable C-Rods
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current metal orthodontic mouth gags are complex to manufacture, costly, have poor resistance to sterilization, and limited size adjustment, leading to difficulties in positioning orthodontic attachments and exposing teeth during procedures.
Innovation Solution
A metal orthodontic mouth gag design featuring serpentine upward and downward-bent rods with C-shaped support frames and blocking struts, allowing for adjustable length and width to accommodate different oral cavities, ensuring complete lip and mouth corner opening, and improved exposure of teeth.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If plastic materials are used for mouth gags, then manufacturing cost is reduced, but resistance to high temperature and high pressure of sterilization deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameter from plastic to metal (specifically stainless steel), which fundamentally alters the sterilization resistance while maintaining manufacturability through standard metal forming processes. This parameter change resolves the contradiction by selecting a material that satisfies both cost-effectiveness and sterilization durability requirements.
2Device complexity
If fixed-size mouth gags are used, then manufacturing complexity is reduced, but adaptability to different oral cavity sizes deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces adjustable components (screws and sliding mechanisms) that allow the mouth gag to dynamically change its dimensions. This transforms a static fixed-size device into a dynamic adjustable device, enabling adaptation to different oral cavity sizes without increasing manufacturing complexity significantly.
3Device complexity
If simple rod structures are used, then manufacturing is simplified, but ability to completely open lips and mouth corners deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the mouth gag into multiple functional segments: upper and lower rods, C-shaped rods for mouth corners, and blocking struts for lip support. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function effectively, achieving complete opening of lips and mouth corners while keeping individual components simple and easy to manufacture.
4Adaptability or versatility
If multiple adjustment operations are required, then size adaptability is improved, but operational complexity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple adjustment functions into integrated mechanisms. The screws and sliding structures allow simultaneous adjustment of rod positions and C-shaped rod openings through coordinated movement, reducing the number of separate adjustment operations needed while maintaining comprehensive size adaptability.
Data Source
AI summary
A metal orthodontic mouth gag is provided, which includes an upper supporting frame, a lower supporting frame, a supporting wing of a left molar area and a supporting wing of a right molar area. The upper supporting frame is a serpentine upper bent rod which is made by a thin steel wire being sequentially wound up and down, and the lower supporting frame is a serpentine lower bent rod which is made by a thin steel wire being sequentially wound up and down. The supporting wing of the left molar area includes a left C-shaped supporting rod and a left blocking supporting frame, and the supporting wing of the right molar area includes a right C-shaped supporting rod and a right blocking supporting frame. The blocking supporting frames are connected into the corresponding C-shaped supporting rods.