Slotted Arch Bar Fixation With Bone Screws for Jaw Stabilization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing intermaxillary fixation (IMF) methods, such as circumdental wire ligatures and arch bars, are time-consuming, uncomfortable, and risky, often requiring anesthesia, and do not provide adequate stability or flexibility for dental arch fixation, especially in cases of dental injury or poor dental health, while IMF screws lack arch stabilization and elastic application.
Innovation Solution
Arch bars with slots and hooks, secured by bone screws and set screws, allowing attachment to bone or prosthetic devices, providing stable fixation and flexibility for jaw stabilization and occlusion restoration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If circumdental wire ligatures are used to secure arch bars, then arch bars can be attached to teeth, but the process is time-consuming and causes discomfort and potential dental injury
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the arch bar attachment function from the tooth surface by using bone screws that anchor directly to the jawbone, eliminating the need for circumdental wire ligatures and their associated complications
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces bone screws as an intermediary attachment mechanism between the arch bar and the jawbone, providing a more reliable and less invasive connection than direct tooth wiring
2Stability of the object's composition
If multiple circumdental wire ligatures are placed along the dental arch, then arch stability is improved, but the discomfort and potential for dental injury increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention removes the harmful wire ligatures from the dental arch system and replaces them with bone screws that provide stability without contacting or damaging the teeth
Solution Approach 2:
The bone screws provide a permanent, reusable attachment mechanism that eliminates the need for multiple disposable wire ligatures, reducing cumulative trauma to the dental structures
3Productivity
If orthodontic adhesives are used to secure arch bars, then placement is faster, but the method is limited by the need for a clean, dry field which is difficult to achieve in trauma settings
Solution Approach 1:
The invention replaces the chemical bonding mechanism of orthodontic adhesives with a mechanical screw-into-bone system that does not require a clean, dry field and is effective in trauma conditions with blood and tissue damage
4Ease of operation
If IMF screws are used for fixation, then placement is quick and comfortable, but they do not provide stability along the dental arch or flexibility for elastic application
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges the benefits of IMF screws (quick, comfortable placement via bone anchorage) with the arch stabilization capabilities of traditional arch bars by combining bone screw attachment with the arch bar structure that provides dental arch stability and elastic application flexibility
Data Source
AI summary
A medical apparatus having a bar, the bar having a slot extending laterally along the bar; and a plurality of hooks, wherein the bar is an arch bar that is configured to be attached to a mandible or a maxilla. Such medical apparatuses may also have a plurality of arch bar fasteners, wherein each arch bar fastener is a bone screw having a threaded shaft and a compound head, the compound head having a threaded bore configured to receive a set screw. The medical apparatus may be used in methods to fixate a maxillary or mandibulary arch, or to aid in reducing a fracture of the mandible or maxilla.