Custom-Fit Vibrating Dental Cap for Automatic Plaque Removal
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for plaque removal in dental hygiene are inadequate, particularly for individuals who are unable or unwilling to perform regular oral hygiene, and there is a need for a device that can effectively clean all teeth and fixed prostheses simultaneously without manual effort.
Innovation Solution
A device featuring a 3D-scanned, custom-fit cap with vibrating bristles or a mat, connected to a handle for media and energy supply, which encloses the teeth and gums to provide a comprehensive cleaning effect through mechanical and cavitation forces, optionally with antibacterial treatments.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If manual toothbrushing is used, then some plaque removal is achieved, but it requires manual dexterity and effort which many individuals cannot or will not provide
Solution Approach 1:
The device enables self-service cleaning where the cleaning action is automatically performed by the vibrating cap without requiring manual brushing motions from the user. The system serves itself by generating the cleaning force through vibrations, eliminating the need for user effort while maintaining reliable plaque removal.
Solution Approach 2:
The manual mechanical brushing action is replaced by an automated vibration-based cleaning system. The cap with bristles generates high-frequency vibrations to remove plaque, substituting the manual mechanical system with an automated electromechanical system that does not require user dexterity or effort.
2Productivity
If conventional toothbrushes are used, then cleaning is performed, but all teeth and fixed prostheses cannot be cleaned simultaneously
Solution Approach 1:
The cap is designed to fit over the entire dental arch, enabling it to clean all teeth and fixed prostheses simultaneously with a single application. This universal design allows one device to perform the function of multiple individual toothbrushes, achieving comprehensive coverage across the entire mouth.
Solution Approach 2:
The cleaning device is segmented into a cap structure that can be divided into multiple zones with bristles directed at different tooth surfaces. This segmentation allows simultaneous cleaning of multiple teeth and prosthetic elements across the entire dental arch in one operation.
3Manufacturing precision
If custom-fit caps are manufactured for each patient, then precise adaptation to individual jaw shape is achieved, but manufacturing complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The cap design utilizes adjustable parameters such as bristle stiffness, bristle length, and cap size to adapt to different jaw shapes and dental configurations. By changing these parameters rather than creating entirely custom caps, the system achieves precise adaptation while simplifying the manufacturing process.
Solution Approach 2:
The cap incorporates locally optimized bristle arrangements and densities in different regions to match the specific anatomy of the patient's jaw and teeth. This local quality approach allows customization of cleaning effectiveness in different areas without requiring complete custom manufacturing of the entire cap.
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
Enables efficient and automatic plaque removal for all teeth and prostheses, improving oral hygiene without requiring manual dexterity or effort, and providing a consistent cleaning result with repeated use.
Implementation Method 1
cap, capable of being set into vibration
Implementation Method 2
the bristles and the cleaning medium set into vibration by the cap inside the cap
Implementation Method 3
with which plaque or other bacterial deposits are removed mechanically or through cavitation forces
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3
AI summary
The invention relates to a device for dental cleaning, in particular for the simultaneous cleaning of all existing teeth and/or fixed prostheses of the upper and lower jaw of persons of any age. The invention aims to create an individualized dental cleaning device with which all teeth and/or fixed prostheses of the upper or lower jaw can be cleaned simultaneously and automatically without any action required by the individual. This is achieved by providing a cap (1) with a U-shaped cross-section, adapted to the individual shape of the human or animal upper/lower jaw including existing tooth crowns (7) and capable of being set in motion by vibration, with a handle (3). The cap (1) can be placed in a sealing manner onto the gum (6) surrounding the teeth at the neck of the tooth (5), enclosing an interior space (lumen), such that the teeth and the neck of the tooth or the dentures are cleaned.the transition from tooth to gum are completely enclosed by the interior (8) and tightly surrounded.