ORTHODONTIC TREATMENT DEVICE

Abstract

An orthodontic treatment device having a U-shaped bite plate (2) which follows a jaw contour, a vibration unit (5) connected to the bite plate (2) to produce an oscillation of the bite plate, and a main unit (6) which is in contact with the vibration unit (5) and controls the same and provides it with power, wherein the vibration unit (5) and the main unit (6) are integrated liquid-tight in the bite plate, and a battery unit (7) of the main unit (6) is designed to charge wirelessly.

Claims

1. An orthodontic treatment device having: a U-shaped bite plate (2) which follows a jaw contour, a vibration unit (5) connected to the bite plate (2) to produce an oscillation of the bite plate, and a main unit (6) which is in contact with the vibration unit (5) and controls the same and provides it with power, wherein the vibration unit (5) and the main unit (6) are integrated liquid-tight in the bite plate, and a battery unit (7) of the main unit (6) is designed to charge wirelessly.

2. The orthodontic treatment device according to claim 1, wherein the bite plate (2) has projections (15, 17, 18) adjacent to a surface (12a, 13a) provided for placement on the incisal and occlusal tooth surfaces, and/or subsurface (12b, 13b) for placement on labial, buccal, lingual and/or palatal tooth surfaces.

3. The orthodontic treatment device according to claim 1, wherein the vibration unit (5) extends substantially over the entire bite plate (2).

4. The orthodontic treatment device according to claim 1, wherein the bite plate (2) has projections (4), recesses (14, 19) and/or elevations (15, 17, 18).

5. The orthodontic treatment device according to claim 1, wherein the vibration unit has a plurality of vibration elements (5) arranged at a distance from each other.

6. The orthodontic treatment device according to claim 1, wherein the vibration unit (5) is arranged adjacent to the surface and/or the subsurface, and/or at least sectionally within the projections (4) and/or elevations (15, 17, 18) of the bite plate (2).

7. The orthodontic treatment device according to claim 1, wherein the surface and/or subsurface of the bite plate (2) has bumps (26) projecting therefrom.

8. The orthodontic treatment device according to claim 1, wherein the main unit (6) has control means (9) for establishing the duration, type, and/or intensity of the oscillation.

9. The orthodontic treatment device according to claim 8, wherein the control means (9) have a receiving unit that is designed to communicate with an external transmitter.

10. The orthodontic treatment device according to claim 1, wherein the main unit is integrated in the bite plate so that the surfaces (28) of the bite plate (2) facing the gums and the tongue, and/or the surfaces (30) of the bite plate (2) facing the lips, or respectively the cheeks are designed flat, at least in the region of the main unit (6), and substantially without projections or recesses.

11. The orthodontic treatment device according to claim 1, wherein the vibration unit generates oscillation at a frequency less than or equal to 1000 Hz, preferably less than or equal to 300 Hz.

12. The orthodontic treatment device according to claim 5, wherein the vibration elements (5) are formed by vibration motors and/or ultrasonic generators.

13. The orthodontic treatment device according to claim 11, wherein the frequency is less than or equal to 300 Hz.

14. The orthodontic treatment device according to claim 11, wherein the frequency is less than or equal to 100 Hz.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0042] Exemplary embodiments of the invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In the drawings:

[0043] FIG. 1 shows a sketched representation of a perspective view of a first embodiment of an orthodontic treatment device;

[0044] FIG. 2 shows a sketched representation of a plan view of a second embodiment of an orthodontic treatment device;

[0045] FIG. 3 shows a sketched representation of a view of a section along section line A-A from FIG. 2;

[0046] FIG. 4 shows a sketched representation of a view of a section along section line B-B from FIG. 2;

[0047] FIG. 5 shows a sketched representation of a side view of the treatment device from FIG. 2;

[0048] FIG. 6 shows a sketched representation of a plan view of a third embodiment of the treatment device;

[0049] FIG. 7 shows a sketched representation of a side view of the treatment device from FIG. 6;

[0050] FIG. 8 shows a sketched representation of a plan view of a support plate of a fourth embodiment of the treatment device;

[0051] FIG. 9 shows a sketched representation of a view of a section along section line C-C from FIG. 8;

[0052] FIG. 10 shows a sketched representation of a sectional view of a fifth embodiment of the treatment device;

[0053] FIG. 11 shows a sketched representation of the treatment device from FIG. 10 with a closed bite;

[0054] FIG. 12 shows a sketched representation of the treatment device from FIG. 10 in a side view with a closed bite;

[0055] FIG. 13 shows a sketched representation of a sectional view of a sixth embodiment of the treatment device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0056] FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of an orthodontic treatment device 1a. It has a U-shaped bite plate 2 with a liquid-tight casing 3. The orthodontic treatment device 1a is designed with a projection 4 in which a main unit 6 (not shown here) is arranged with a wirelessly chargeable battery unit 7 (also not shown here). The projection 4 can also be used as a tool for easier removal or insertion, or as an adapter for a corresponding grip. In the region of the occlusal masticatory surfaces 12a, the bite plate 2 is provided with recesses 14 and elevations 15 that effectively prevent slippage in interaction with the teeth to be treated.

[0057] A second embodiment of a treatment device 1b is shown in FIG. 2 to FIG. 5 with a bite plate 2 covered liquid-tight with a silicone layer 3. To accommodate the main unit 6 with a battery 7 and a control means designed as a chip 9, the bite plate 2 is designed with a projection 4 in the labial, anterior region, at the free end of which an induction charge coil 8 is arranged for wirelessly charging the battery 7. Moreover in the region of the anterior masticatory surfaces 13a, 13b and the lateral masticatory surfaces 12a, 12b of the bite plate, vibration units 5 are arranged that together form a vibration unit of the treatment device 1a to 1d. In this regard, the vibration elements 5 are embedded in the basic material of the bite plate 2 surrounded with a casing 3 of silicone.

[0058] Moreover, the casing 3 has a bite groove 19 adapted individually to the bite with projections 17, 18 provided for contacting labial, lingual and/or palatal tooth surfaces. For contacting the buccal tooth surfaces, shield-shaped projections (not shown here) can also be provided analogous to the anterior shields.

[0059] FIG. 6 to FIG. 7 show a third embodiment of the treatment device 1c. This is a slim embodiment version that is distinguished by a particularly pleasant wearing comfort. The main unit 6, or respectively the individual components of the main unit 6, are arranged on the bite plate 2 so that they do not, or scarcely perceptibly, project from the surfaces of the bite plate 2 facing the gums and tongue, and/or the surfaces of the bite plate 2 facing the lips, or respectively the cheeks. Accordingly, the battery 7, the charge coil 8, and the chip 9 are embedded in the basic material of the bite plate 2 like the vibration generators 5. Only the on/off switch 10 projects slightly from the surface of the bite plate facing the lips for safe and optimum operation. By dispensing with the on/off switch 10, the projection 10a associated therewith can also be eliminated when there is remote-controlled activation of an embodiment of the orthodontic treatment device 1c (not shown here) by the control means 9.

[0060] In the fourth embodiment shown in FIG. 8 and FIG. 9 of the orthodontic treatment device 1d, the vibration elements 5 are not embedded in a basic matrix. Contrastingly, a support plate 20 is provided with recesses 21 in which the vibration units 5 are inserted such that they project from the support plate 20 on one or both sides. To protect the vibration units 5, they are provided with protective caps 22 after being arranged in the recesses 21 of the support plate 20.

[0061] The vibration elements 5 are integrally bonded with the support plate 20. In embodiments of the orthodontic treatment device 1d (not shown), for example clicking and latching connecting elements are used for a keyed connection, or a friction connection is realized by suitably dimensioning the sizes of the vibration element, recesses 21 and possibly protective caps 22, or respectively the encapsulated vibration elements. Other embodiments (not shown) of the orthodontic treatment device 1d use combinations of the aforementioned types of connection.

[0062] After arrangement of the vibration elements 5, the main unit 6 and if applicable the on/off switch 10 and/or a charge coil 8, the equipped support plate 20 with all of the components is covered liquid-tight with a silicone layer 3.

[0063] In a fifth embodiment shown in FIG. 10 to FIG. 12, the casing 3 of the bite plate 2 is formed on its surfaces 12a, 12b, 13a, 13b that face the masticatory surfaces with bumps 26. Given the elasticity of the bumps 26, they are aligned by the tooth crowns 30 in a closed bite so that they ensure optimum contact with the tooth surface in all sections of the tooth crowns 30, even when the tooth crowns 32 are comparatively short or penetrate through. An effective transmission of oscillation is thereby achieved, as well as an effective retention of the treatment device.

[0064] In a sixth embodiment of the treatment device (FIG. 13), the casing 3 has a bite groove 19 that is individually adapted to the bite. In the region of the bite groove 19, the casing 3 of the bite plate 2 is designed with bumps 26 that precisely lie against all of the regions of the relief-like tooth crown surfaces in a closed bite. The projections 17, 18 provided for contacting labial, lingual and/or palatal tooth surfaces secure the treatment device 1e against undesirable slippage in the given position, and also transfer the oscillations in a targeted manner to the labial, lingual, and/or palatal tooth surfaces.