Shell Orthodontic Appliance Sagittal Adjustment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing orthodontic appliances cause deformation and discomfort due to occlusion, particularly in correcting anterior-teeth deep overbite, and often require visible metal and resin guides that affect chewing and patient comfort.

Innovation Solution

A shell-like orthodontic appliance with a sagittal adjustment portion at the lingual side, featuring a reinforcing portion and accommodation space, designed to stabilize maxillomandibular occlusion and adjust mandibular anterior teeth positions in the sagittal direction, reducing deformation and enhancing comfort.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a maxillary removable orthodontic appliance is used to correct deep overbite, then the height of anterior alveolar bone can be maintained unchanged, but the shell-like body deforms under occlusion forces

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestability of maxillomandibular occlusion relationshipVSAvoiddeformation of shell-like body
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies composite materials by combining a shell-like body made of elastomer or thermoplastic resin with reinforcing portions made of rigid materials such as metal wires, metal plates, or rigid resin. This composite structure allows the shell-like body to maintain flexibility and comfort while the reinforcing portions provide structural support to resist deformation under occlusion forces, thereby resolving the contradiction between reliability and structural stability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements local quality by providing reinforcing portions at specific locations where occlusion forces are most significant, rather than making the entire shell-like body rigid. The reinforcing portions are strategically placed to counteract deformation in critical areas while leaving other regions flexible and comfortable for the patient, thus resolving the contradiction between stability and deformation resistance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Reliability

If a horizontal guide made of metal and resin is fixed on the maxilla to aid correction, then correction of deep overbite can be achieved, but patient comfort decreases due to foreign body sensation and chewing interference

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecorrection effectivenessVSAvoidpatient comfort
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces rigid metal and resin horizontal guides with a flexible shell-like body made of elastomer or thermoplastic resin. This flexible shell conforms to the patient's anatomy, reduces foreign body sensation, and allows natural chewing movements while still providing the necessary correction forces. The shell-like structure maintains correction effectiveness while significantly improving patient comfort compared to rigid guides.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses composite materials combining flexible elastomer/thermoplastic resin with localized rigid reinforcing portions. This combination allows the appliance to provide effective correction through the rigid portions while the flexible shell portions maintain patient comfort by reducing foreign body sensation and allowing natural oral functions, thus resolving the contradiction between correction effectiveness and patient comfort.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

Data Source

PatentEP4201368B1Shell-shaped orthodontic appliance
Publication Date: 2026.03.11 SHANGHAI SMARTEE DENTI TECH CO LTD
  • EP4201368B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4201368B1 patent drawingFigure 3~5
  • EP4201368B1 patent drawingFigure 6~8

AI summary

A shell-like orthodontic appliance (10), a design method and a manufacturing method for the same, an orthodontic appliance set and system are disclosed. The shell-like orthodontic appliance (10) includes a shell-like body (100) provided with a cavity accommodating a plurality of maxillary teeth. A sagittal adjustment portion (110) is provided at a lingual side in an anterior region of the shell-like body. The sagittal adjustment portion is configured to adjust a maxillomandibular position relationship while at least to partially offset deformation of the shell-like body caused by occlusion, and the sagittal adjustment portion (110) is at least partially connected to the lingual side in the anterior region of the shell-like body. The sagittal adjustment portion (110) has a geometric structure configured to stabilize a maxillomandibular occlusion relationship and reduce a deformation of the shell-like body caused by occlusion while to adjust positions of teeth in a mandibular anterior region relative to a maxilla upward to target occlusion positions in a sagittal direction. An invisible orthodontic appliance is used to adjust positions of teeth in the mandibular anterior region in the sagittal direction while reduce deformation of the shell-like orthodontic appliance (10) caused by occlusion.