3D-Printed Transparent Whitening Tray for Fit and Shape Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional whitening trays suffer from deformation due to heat and humidity, leading to poor oral suitability and leakage of whitening agents, and require a complex manufacturing process involving gypsum models.
Innovation Solution
A method involving 3D printing, air spraying to remove uncured resin, post-curing at controlled temperatures, and thorough washing steps to produce a transparent whitening tray with improved transparency and oral fitness, using a composition comprising photocurable compounds and photoinitiators.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional vacuum molding method is used to manufacture whitening trays, then the manufacturing process is established, but the trays deform due to heat and humidity difference causing poor oral suitability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by controlling the cooling rate during manufacturing and using materials with specific thermal properties. The whitening tray is cooled at a controlled rate to reduce internal stresses and prevent deformation, while selecting materials with low thermal expansion coefficients to maintain shape stability under temperature variations in the mouth.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses composite materials combining polymers with stabilizing agents and plasticizers in specific proportions. This composite structure provides both flexibility for oral comfort and dimensional stability to prevent deformation from heat and humidity, resolving the contradiction between oral suitability and shape stability.
2Ease of manufacture
If conventional vacuum molding method is used, then trays can be manufactured, but the process is complex involving gypsum models
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the gypsum model step from the conventional manufacturing process. By using 3D printing technology, the design data is directly converted into the whitening tray structure, removing the intermediate gypsum modeling step and simplifying the overall manufacturing process while reducing equipment complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical vacuum molding system with a 3D printing system. This substitution eliminates the need for complex vacuum equipment and gypsum model fabrication, achieving easier manufacturing with simpler equipment while maintaining tray quality.
3Illumination intensity
If conventional plastic sheets are used, then trays can be manufactured, but transparency is insufficient and oral fit is poor
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses composite materials with specific polymer compositions including transparent polymers and stabilizing agents in optimized ratios. This composite formulation achieves both high transparency for aesthetic appearance and precise dimensional accuracy for oral fit, resolving the contradiction between transparency and manufacturing precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies parameter changes by controlling the thickness uniformity and material composition parameters during 3D printing. By precisely controlling these parameters, the manufacturing process achieves both excellent transparency and accurate oral fit, eliminating the trade-off between these properties.
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 method results in a transparent whitening tray with excellent oral suitability, reduced deformation, minimized leakage, and a simplified manufacturing process, enhancing convenience and economic feasibility.
Implementation Method 1
a composition comprising a photocurable compound and a photoinitiator
Implementation Method 2
removing uncured resin and liquid from the whitening tray
Implementation Method 3
post-curing the whitening tray... post-heat the whitening tray
Data Source
AI summary
The method of manufacturing a transparent whitening tray according to the present invention includes 3D printing of the whitening tray using the composition for forming a transparent whitening tray as a raw material (S10), removing uncured resin and liquid from the whitening tray obtained in the above step (S20), post-curing the whitening tray obtained in the above step (S30), post-heat treating the whitening tray obtained in the above step (S40), and washing the whitening tray obtained in the above step (S40).