OSMOTIC ORTHODONTIC APPLIANCE

• US 20160331950A1
• Filed: 08/31/2015
• Published: 11/17/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: National Tsing Hua University
• Original Assignee: National Tsing Hua University
• Inventors: Su, Yu-Chuan
• Granted Patent: US 9,572,971 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 7/00 Orthodontics, i.e. obtaining or maintaining the desired position of teeth, e.g. by straightening, evening, regulating, separating, or by correcting malocclusions
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 7/08 Mouthpiece-type retainers or positioners, e.g. for both the lower and upper arch arch-shaped medicament applicators for teeth or gums A61C19/063; mouthguards for protecting the teeth of sportsmen A63B71/085
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 7/10 Devices having means to apply outwardly directed force, e.g. expanders
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 7/20 Arch wires A61C7/28 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 7/22 Tension adjusting means
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 7/28 Securing arch wire to bracket
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 7/282 Buccal tubes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/0216 Materials providing elastic properties, e.g. for facilitating deformation and avoid breaking
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2210/0637 Teeth
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 39/00 Tubes, tube connectors, tube couplings, valves, access sites or the like, specially adapted for medical use for respiratory devices, e.g. tracheal tubes A61M16/00; artificial heart valves A61F2/24

Abstract

The present invention provides an osmotic orthodontic appliance, comprising: an actuation structure forming a hollow tube filled with a supersaturated solution; a dental aligner structure mounted on the actuation structure for fixing the actuation structure on teeth; and a pumping structure connected one end of the hollow tube, comprising a semipermeable device and a supporting structure. The osmotic orthodontic appliance of the present invention could provide steady movement and force output; it is a solution for the periodic actuation problem of conventional orthodontic appliances.

Claims

1. An osmotic orthodontic appliance, comprising:

an actuation structure forming a hollow tube filled with a supersaturated solution;

a dental aligner structure mounted on the actuation structure for fixing the actuation structure on teeth; and

a pumping structure connected with one end of the hollow tube, comprising a semipermeable device and a supporting structure, wherein the supporting structure supports the semipermeable device.

2. The osmotic orthodontic appliance of claim 1, wherein the hollow tube has a sealing coating on inner surface thereof.

3. The osmotic orthodontic appliance of claim 2, wherein the sealing coating is polydimethylsiloxane.

4. The osmotic orthodontic appliance of claim 1, wherein the actuation structure, the dental aligner structure and the pumping structure are made of a thermoplastic polymer material.

5. The osmotic orthodontic appliance of claim 1, wherein the actuation structure is made of polylactic acid.

6. The osmotic orthodontic appliance of claim 1, wherein the dental aligner structure is made of polyurethane.

7. The osmotic orthodontic appliance of claim 1, wherein the semipermeable device is a semipermeable membrane.

8. The osmotic orthodontic appliance of claim 7, wherein the semipermeable membrane is made of cellulose, aromatic polyamide, polyimide, polyfurane or thermoplastic polyurethane.

9. The osmotic orthodontic appliance of claim 1, wherein the actuation structure has a partially inflated structure.