Triangular Bone-Anchored Implant for Nasal Prosthesis
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional nasal prostheses face challenges in providing stable anchorage due to the thin bone surrounding the nasal aperture, leading to unpredictable aesthetics and limited success with osseointegrated implants, resulting in unsatisfactory outcomes for patients with missing external noses.
Innovation Solution
A bone-anchored implant with a central triangular section and radially extending fixation arms that engage the maxillary bone, using micro-screws and magnetic or mechanical locking mechanisms to securely attach a nasal prosthesis, allowing for customization and easy hygiene, and accommodating the thin bone structure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional osseointegrated implants are used, then anchorage is provided, but the thin bone surrounding the nasal aperture limits success and provides unstable anchorage
Solution Approach 1:
The implant is divided into multiple fixation arms (typically three or four) that radiate from a central platform. Each arm independently engages the thin maxillary bone, distributing the mechanical load across multiple attachment points rather than relying on a single anchor point. This segmentation allows the implant to achieve stable anchorage despite the limited bone capacity available in the nasal aperture region.
Solution Approach 2:
The implant transitions from a conventional single-point or linear anchorage to a three-dimensional radial configuration. The fixation arms extend in multiple directions from the central platform, engaging the bone in different spatial dimensions. This multi-dimensional anchorage strategy maximizes the use of available bone surface area and provides superior stability compared to traditional approaches.
2Reliability
If the implant structure is made complex to accommodate thin bone, then anchorage is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The central platform serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides the anchor point for the fixation arms, serves as the mounting base for the nasal prosthesis, and distributes mechanical loads across the fixation arms. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional separate components, thereby maintaining structural efficiency while achieving reliable anchorage in thin bone.
Solution Approach 2:
The implant design allows for adjustment of key parameters such as the number of fixation arms (typically 3-4), the angle of arm extension, and the diameter of the central platform. These parameter variations can be optimized based on the specific anatomical conditions of each patient, enabling the same basic design to adapt to different bone thicknesses and anatomical configurations without requiring entirely different implant types.
3Stability of the object's composition
If fixation arms extend radially to engage bone, then anchorage stability improves, but the structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The fixation arms are integrated with the central platform as a single monolithic structure or closely coupled components, eliminating the need for separate assembly of arm and platform elements. This merging simplifies the overall device complexity while maintaining the radial configuration that provides superior anchorage stability in thin bone.
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 implant provides stable three-dimensional support for the nasal prosthesis, ensuring proper alignment and minimizing pivoting or rotational motion, while allowing for easy cleaning and adaptation to individual bone contours, thereby improving aesthetic outcomes and patient hygiene.
Implementation Method 1
The triangular portion may support three fixation points, one at each corner of the triangular portion, which in turn, directly engage the nasal prosthesis either via magnets or mechanical locking interface.
Data Source
AI summary
There is provided herein a bone anchored implant that is used to support a nasal prosthesis in patients with a missing external nose. The implant consists of central section (which is preferably generally triangular) suspended within the aperture of the nasal cavity by four fixation arms which extend radially to engage the surrounding maxillary bone. The triangular portion may support three fixation points, one at each corner of the triangular portion, which in turn, directly engage the nasal prosthesis either via magnets or mechanical locking interface. Extending radially from the triangular section, the four fixation arms may flatten to a clover leaf arrangement of three apertures which accommodate micro-screws that secure the implant to the surrounding maxillary bone.