CA1133733A - Apparatus for use in maxillary orthopaedics - Google Patents

Abstract

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE

Apparatus for use in maxillary orthopaedics comprises a time-measuring device fitted in a cavity in a moulding means which is made of plastics material and is carried in the mouth.
The time-measuring device consists of an electronic counter which is connected to an impulse generator. The impulse generator is actuated by a switch which is arranged to be in a different state according to whether the device is worn or not. The time-measuring device is connected, via leads and switch, to a battery also fitted in a cavity in the moulding means.

Description

~33733 "APPARATUS FOR USE IN MAXILLARY ORTHOPAEDICS"
-The invention relates to an apparatus for use in maxillary orthopaedics, said apparatus comprising a moulding means which can be pressed against the teeth and carries a time-measuring device which is caused to function by means of a switch which is actuated when the apparatus is held in the mouth.
Apparatus of this kind used in maxillary orthopaedics are employed for the adjustment of teeth particularly in the case of growing children. The success achieved in maxillary orthopaedic treatment in which removable apparatus is used depends to a large extent upon whether the apparatus is actually held in the mouth over fairly lengthy periods. In many cases the dentist is held responsible for lack of success or unsatisfactory therapeutical results in orthopaedic treatment of the ma~illae, whereas the unsatisfactory result stems from the fact that the apparatus was not retained for a sufficient length of time.
It is known to provide a time-measuring device, consisting of a Coulombmeter, on the moulding means in apparatus used in maxillary orthopaedics ~German OS 26 14 591).
The Coulombmeter, together with the moulding means is secured in the mouth of the patient. The Coulombmemter consists of a glass container with mercury and an electrolyte in it. When current is caused to flow through the Coulombmeter, the quantity of electrolyte passes 510wly through the mercury. The product of current - strength and time can be read off at the point of separation of the two mercury columns. The Coulomb~eter is switched on by way of a series '~ ' ~

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~3~733 arratl~,ement consisting`o~ a huml(]ity s~?itcll and a temper-ature s~itcll. In this rnetllod o~ mea~ur~ment, ~h~ tin-c for which the <~pparatus is he]d in the mouth is me~su~~cd by cleterrrlir~ g tl~e proclllct o cuJrent-strength al)c? Linle.
r`itti~ cl ~he Cou]olnbmeter in the or~l cavi~y ls a dan~e~otls matter since, in the even~ of clama~e to ~he glass eontalner, not only are splinters of glass depos-ited in the rnouth, but mercury and electroly~e as ~ell.
In a kno~n e~tra-oral apparatus (US I'atent specification 3,8~5,310), a strap is ~ittecl around the head o~ the patient, ~?hiCIl strap is connc~cted to the orthopaedic apparatus by way of the oral orifice.
Provided on the strap is a time-meastlrillg device ~Jhich is caused to operate ~7hen the tension o~ the strap reaches a certain valtle. The time-measuring device consists of an impulse ~c?nerator and cl counter. Tile state o~
o~ thls counter is intended to provide an illdication of the period during ~hich the apparatus is held in the mouth and i~s tal~en into account t~llen jucl~ing the success of the treatll)ent. Il.l apparatus o~ this kinc], stretchin~
of the heacl strap can easily cause the s~?itch to close without the apparatus bein~ worn by the patient.
The pre-sent invention seeks to provide appalatus of the ori~inally statec? kind for use in max-illary orthopaedics that constit~ltes nc dan~er to the ~ patient, enables the tirne that is to be detem~ined to - be measured rela~ively accurately, ancl to a lar~e e~;tent can be rnallipulated ~?itll sa~ety.
~ccordin~ to the ia~vcrltion, thcre is provic?ed 3~ apl.alatus for use in m~illary orthopcledics, said ~ppar-atus conlpl^isin~ a mould;n~ eatls ~?hicll Call bc pressed --: `~

1~3~3733 c'3gc'1ill~it the teeth, ~,hi~ ding Ireans carrjc, c~ tiT;e-mcasllring dev;,ce ~.7hi ch i s caused to functi or. 1~7y Tnr<~ns of a ST~i tch actuat~d ~!herl the apparatus is he],d in the rnoutl~
sai d time-r~easllrin~ dev; cc colnpri si,n~ ~3tl electri,c ci rcuit inclu~ in~ <~n electronic counter connected to an impulse ~enerator, and a b~ttery ~!hicll i s encased and accommoclated in lt least one cavity ormeci in the moulding mearls.
By l'i.tti.ng the elect:ronic time-measuri devi ce i.n a cavity in the Inoulcling means, the time-measwriMg device is accomrnodat~ed in n sa~e manner ancl is protected ngainst mechc-mi.cal damage. Even in the event of damagc!, the patient ~ould be exposed to no danger since the ti.me-measuring cle~7ice contains no poi,son-ous or otherT~1i.se dangerol1s substances. The time-meas~lrlng devi.ce enables the time that is of i.nterest to be dc terrni.ned very accurately so that the dentist carr~ring out the treatment is able t~o deteL-mine its success in a very precise manner. Mirliaturized elect-ronic componcnts as ~Tell as batteric?s are obtainable in suf~iciently small dimensions, so thal:: the dimensi,ons of tlle mouldi.ll~ means are not ~reatly increased by the presence of the time-measuring (ievice. If the various parts of the time-rnc!asuring device ~lre fi.tt;ed in dif~
ercnt cavities formed in the moulcling means, they C~lll be interconnected by electric conductors e~;tending ~i thin the mouldin~ means, Tlle electri.c con~uctors can be illcorpora~ 1 i,n tllt' Ino~ll di.n~, means by a moulclLn~, operat-iOIl, SO that they ~re like~ise protectecl against da!llaOe and moisture.
Th~ ilnp~llse ~ene~-ator ws~d can take the orm of a quartz cr~-stal-contrclled osci]lc)l:or ~:hich .

pro~]uces impulses at a predetermirled const~nl ~requcncy.
Tllese impulscs are passed to the counter OL- irnpulse store ~7hich dis7plc7ys the num~er of impulses. T~lis display can cither take the orm o~ a numerical displc?.~r on ~he timc~measuring c]e~7ice itsel~, or ;t rnly comprise a recordin~ lnstrulllent th;-lt is avc~ilabl_ to the dentist nncl to t~hich is connectcd the time-m~as7lrin~ device for the purpose oE displaying the state of fill of the counter.
~ince, during the treat:ment period, the apparatus for orthopaedic treatmell~ of the maxillae has to b~ helæ in the mouth practica]ly the ~.~hole time, lcss trouble is involved in determinin~ and measuring the time c]urin~ which the apparatus is not hcld in the mout~L, lS sincc, in intensive treacment, this time is shorter than thc period during t.7hich 1~ is in ~he mouth. ~he~h2r the c~pparatus is or is not held in the mouth is cJcter-mined ~ith the ai~ of the switch ~hich should be so desics77ned or arranged that, during handlin~Jil: can not be actuated by a mischievous patient t.7hen the apparatus is ramoved from the mouth.
The apparat~ls in accordance wlth the ;nven-- tion is suita~le not only for controllin~ tl-e totcll ti.ile during ~.hiCIl it is in the m~uth, but can be so designed tllat the clectrical circuit comprises a pl~]rality o impulse stores which ~store detai]s o~ the ]enc,th of a closed PhaSC! and of cm opcn phase of tlle st~7itch 2nd relc~se these clata Jhen required. Thus, ~s in a lo~
rccorder, th e in-the-rnoutll and the out-of ~he mo~lt~
- ~o times can ~)e dete~rlincd <nd r~cctllccl at a given timc.
This di~crcntiatcd time mcasuremen~ is pcll-ticularl~

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~3373~
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suit~b1e fol- scientific i.nvecti~.ltions lime(] a~ ~et~r-mininz the eect of in-the-nlo-lth ~ilnes on adjustment of ~he teeth.
In order to prevellt the s~iitch fro~il bei deliheratcly actuated by tlle pa~ient so that t~le dentist is deceived into thinkin~ thclt the ~pparatus has been ~7orn for 1 lon~er period, the switcll is expedi-ently accommod~ted in a covered position. A further possibil1t~ resicles in provid;ll~ 1 plur.~lity o s~itches which are all actuatecl ~hen the app~ratus is ~orn in the mouth and are operated in series. This makes i-_ more difficult to effect manipulations fo~ ~alsifyin~
the resuLts of Ineasurements.
The battery and the electric circ~lit c~n be accolmnodated ln a moisture-proo manner in separate con~aincrs or in 1 comlnon cont1iner and can be inter-connected by electric conductors. The con~ainer in which the battery is housed must o~ course ~e capab]e of being opened in order to ch~nge the battery.
Switches that can be used are mechanic~1 micro-switclles, approximltion switches, pressure sensors or contclct-less s~1itcllesv Particu1arly s~1itable are piezo-elec~ric sensors or press~ire-sens1tive semi~
- conductors. The term l'~WitCIl'l iS here intended to cov~r !
~5 all devices thlt perform a switclling opeL-ation when 1 particular physical condition occurs (pressure, ~noisture, etc.) In order that the invention mcly be better un~rstooc~, an embocliMent thereo~ wi11 now be described by ~ay of e~lmple only and .~ith reererlce to the 1CCO'n-pany~.n6 dra~.lngs in hich:-; ~

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~3;~7~3 ,j E'ig1.1re 1 shc)ws .~n upper maxilla, arld il:Lus-tratcs the arrangernent ol the el~ments of the time-measuring device i,n the ~pparatlls of the invc~ntion;
Fig~lres 2, 3 and 4 i.llustrate cross~sectic,ns of the m~xilla alon~, the lillcs II, III and IV rcspective-l~r of ~ Jre l;
Figure 5 is a bl.ock clia~r~[n sho~in~ tlle illterc~TIllectlons relating to the time-measurlng device;
Figure 6 is a tlme plot sho~in~ one exampl~
of ~ possible way o:E recordin~ the l~njth of successive ri.ng and non ~earing periods;
Figure 7 is a perspecti.ve view of a capsule for the battery;
Figure 8 is ~ perspective view o ~ c~,psule for the ti.me-measurin~ device, connected to an extern~l readi.n~ i.rlstrument; and :' Figure 9 is ~ diagramlnati.c view o a capsule or a time-me~suring device havill~ its own numerical ' display means.
~. ~ 20 Figurc 1 illustrates an upper maxil.la 10, .~' the shape of which i.s to be altered ~y means o~ an ortho-- paedic app~ratus 11. The teeth are ~lesignated by the - n~lt(leral 12. The orthopaedi.c a~par~tus consists of at ' least one plastics mouldi.n~ means 13, to ~hich are - 25 secured w;re braces 14 ~Jhich entlrely or partially surrollnd the teeth~ U~se rllay also be m~de of a plurali.ty ,~ o plastics mouldlnr means ~.hich ar~ intercomlected by ~ wire braces. The shape of ~he apparatus ~vi,ll ~epend :, uE~on the shape of th~ particula.r ma~illa and the detects '~ 30 to be corrected,.
~, ~ Fi,~ure 2 s}-c,~;s a pl.astics moulding m~ar.s ';

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' , _ 7 _ ~3~733 1~ ~.7hich presses against a ~oo~h 12 and contai.ns, in a fir~t cavity 15, a nliniatllre battery 16. Th~ cavity 15 is closed by cq plate so th~t it is Sllut o~ frc~m the e~terior.
In Fi.gure 3 can be seen the switch or pressure sensor 17 ~hich presses ag~i.nst the tooth 12 and is actuated thereby The prcssure sensor 17 is positioned <~t the outer end o~ the moulding mec~ns 13, ~hich end presses a~ainst the tootll.
In a fur~ller cavity 19 in the moulding means 13 is c~rranged a time-measuring device 18. This cavit~ .is also closed off from the e~terior. The battery 1~, the pressure sensor 17 and the time-measuring means 18 are interconnected by electric conductors 20'.
The electric circuit for the time-me~surin~
de~-ice is illustrc~ted in F;.gure 5 as c~ block diagram.
The time~measuring~de~ice 18 and the switch or pressure sensor 17 are connected in series across the bat~ery 16.
hen the s~-itch 17 is closcd, the time-measuring device 18 is set in operation. The time-measuring devi.ce consi.sts of an impu]se-generator 20 ~hich, when connected to the current supply, produces impulses at a p~rticular ~ frequenc~r. These impllses are pclssed to a counter 21~
~ ich counts the implllses an~]~ also stores the result of the par~icul~r count when thè s~itch 17 is opene~ ~ain.
The state of count of the cotmter ~1 is thereore a ~ .
me~sure o~ the ~ime ~or ~hic;h the st~itch 17 has been c~.osed. -The time-~neasuring device 18 is advanta~e~
ously cons~ructed by m.~kin~ us~ o integra~ed ci.rcuitrv.
: rh~ time-mec1surln~ dcvice ~8 can b~ removed .
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~3~,733 frorn tl-le cavity 19 anc] CO!.IleCted t,o c'l rea-ling inst-rument 22 in order ~,o lndicate the stat:e of coun~ of the coun~er 21. It i.S nl~so possibl.e for the tirne-rneasurin~ device to rema;.n in thc capsu:Le aTld to ~e connec~e~l to a reading instrument, clnd ~his, in CertaiM Ci.rCUIIlS'~anCeS, iS easier for the dentist.
I the ti.me-measuring, device comprises a p1ura1ity o~ counters that can be actuated in succession and i.n t urn indicate the wearing times and the non-@~ ' wearing times, they can perforrn a recording ftlnc.tion assl~o~n i.n Figure 6. '\~hell a time measuring devi.ce of th1s kind is read, the entire ~earing cycle ~et~Jeen t-Jo treatrnent dates can be reproduced by reading the store ~ith the aid of, ~or e~ample, a cot~nectecl recording instr~llnent or a high-sl)eed printi.ng m~ans. In I~igure 6, the ~eari.ng times are desigllated by "1" and the non-eari.n~g times by "0". The time~rneasurin~ device can ~ incorporate a clock, the ~ime indications of t~7hich are `` ~ passecl into a store each ti.me the swi.tch 17 is actuatecl.
In t;his way the times during which the apparatus i.s ~, removed or inserted are stored. These datcl can then be passed to the rcading apparatus or to some other `;~ apparatus for carryin~, out ~urther processing.
Figure 7 sho~s a capsu1e 2~ ~hich is c1Osed ~5 in a f1uid-t:ight manner by a cap 2~ and ~hich enc1Oses a battery 16. At t,he bottom o~ the cc-~psu1e ancl the cap are 1Occlted conLact poles ~5 for estab1ishin~ colltact with thc pol.cs o~ t he batt:ery 16, The c.vn~act ~olcs 25 arc conn~ct d by conductors (not sho~n) to other celcct-30 ri.cal compoJlents. ';.~ell the Cc.!~ 2~ of the caps~l.e isscre~led on, these po]es pr~ss c~C.,~li.nst the ba~ t e~ )o] es~

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~3;37~3 As sllown in i;~ure ~, a s;Tni lar Cal~SUl2 26 ~ith a cap 27 is used for accom.nod~tin~ the tirne-rneasurin~ device 18. This capsule is also se~led off in a rnoist~lre-tlht manller. I`he timc-lneasurin~j device 1~ hls tenninals ~o wlli.cll the re.~di.n~ ~pparc~tus ~2 can be connected i.n ordel to display the state of fi.ll of the counter. Thus, wllen the co~lnter i.s rea~ in the aental surge~y, the peri.od d~lring whi.cll the apparatus has been ~orn can be ~eterrn1necl.
~- ~ 10Figure 9 illustrates a capsllle 29 which is sealed by a cap 30 alld contains a ~ime-measurin~ device 18 having a miniaturizecl nurnber-di.splay mean~q 31. By means of this the period durin~ ~hich the ~pparatus has been ~Jorn call be read off directly, i necessary ~y the user hi.mself, without connection ~o an extcrnal reading inrtrument l~ein~ rec~uirecl.
In day-to-day practice, two i.tems of info-rmation can be of considerable importance to the dentist:
1. the total ~earing time in hours, which time 20can be indicated on call, and

2. the entire non-wearin~ time in hours, which can likewise be indicated on call.
In this way the dentist is able to deter-mine in an objective manller the success o~tained by ~earing the appar~tus.

Claims (21)

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property of privilege is claimed, are defined as follows:

1. For use in maxillary orthopedics wherein a moulding means which can be pressed against the teeth is worn in the mouth to adjust the position of the teeth, an apparatus for measuring the wearing time of said moulding means, comprising:
a time-measuring device carried by said moulding means and actuated by a switch, also carried by said moulding means, when the moulding means is held in the mouth, said time-measuring device comprising an electric circuit including an electronic counter connected to an impulse generator, and a battery, said time-measuring device and said battery being encased and accommodated in at least one cavity formed in the moulding means.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the switch is so carried by said moulding means that it is closed during the time that the moulding means is not carried in the mouth, and is opened during the time that the moulding means is carried in the mouth.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the time-measuring device includes a numerical display means connected to said electronic counter so as to display a time readout corresponding to the contents of said counter.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the battery and the electric circuit are accommodated in a moisture-proof manner in separate containers and are interconnected by electric conductors.

5. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the switch is a pressure sensor which senses the pressure exerted between said moulding means and part of the mouth upon which said moulding means acts when said moulding means is placed in the mouth.

6. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the electric circuit further includes a plurality of storage devices which in turn store information relating to the successive durations that release the information when appropriately accessed.

7. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said switch comprises a plurality of switches which are all actuated when the moulding means is held in the mouth, and which must be operated in series to cause said time-measuring device to function.

8. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said moulding means is substantially externally dimensionally and configurationally unaltered by the presence of said encased battery and time-measuring device.

9. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the external dimensions of said moulding means are not substantially changed from what said dimensions would have been if said moulding means had been designed not to accommodate said time-measuring device, said battery and said switch.

10. Apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising a separate read-out means, external to the moulding means, for reading and displaying the measured time corresponding to the contents of said electronic counter.

11. A device for measuring the time that a retainer or like removable orthodontic appliance is worn in the mouth, comprising:
a time-measuring circuit encased within said appliance, and switch means, mounted in said appliance for activation when said appliance is placed in the mouth, for enabling said time-measuring circuit when said switch means is activated, said time-measuring circuit thereby measuring how long said appliance has been worn.

12. A device according to claim 11 wherein said time-measuring circuit comprises:
a pulse generator producing pulses at certain time intervals, and a counter connected to count pulses from said generator when said time-measuring circuit is enabled.

13. A device according to claim 11 wherein said switch means is encased within said appliance.

14. A device for measuring the time that a retainer or like removable orthodontic appliance is worn in the mouth, comprising:
switch means, mounted in said appliance for activation when said appliance is placed in the mouth and for deactivation when said appliance is removed from the mouth;
a time-measuring circuit encased within said appliance having a first set of time-measuring devices connected to be enabled sequentially upon sequential activation of said switch means each time said appliance is placed in the mouth, so that each of said first set of time-measuring devices will measure how long said appliance has been worn in the mouth during corresponding sequential periods of wear, and a second set of time-measuring devices connected to be enabled sequentially upon sequential deactivation of said switch means each time said appliance is removed from the mouth, so that each of said second set of time-measuring devices will measure how long said appliance has not been worn during corresponding periods when the appliance is removed.

15. A device according to claim 14 together with:
readout means, external to said appliance but connectable to said time-measuring circuit, for reading out and displaying the sequential times that said appliance was worn and not worn, as measured by said first and second sets of time-measuring devices.

16. A device according to claim 14 or 15 wherein said time-measuring circuit includes a pulse generator, and wherein each of said time-measuring devices comprises a separate counter connected to count pulses from said generator when the respective time-measuring device is enabled.

17. A device according to claim 15 wherein said readout means includes:
display means for presenting from said measured times a chronological display indicating which hours of the day the appliance was worn and which hours the appliance was removed from the mouth.

18. A device according to claim 11 wherein said switch means comprises a pressure sensor mounted within said activated appliance so as to be activated by pressure exerted between the teeth and said appliance when said appliance is placed in the mouth.

19. A device according to claim 11 or 18 wherein the dimensions of said appliance are not substantially changed from what they would have been if said appliance had been designed without accommodation for said time-measuring circuit and said switch.

20. A device for measuring the time that a retainer or like removable orthodontic appliance is worn in the mouth comprising:
a time-measuring circuit encased within said appliance having a first means for measuring and storing the times during which said appliance has been worn in the mouth, and a second means for measuring and storing the times during which said appliance has not been worn;
switch means, mounted in said appliance for activation when said appliance is placed in the mouth and for deactivation when said appliance is removed from the mouth for enabling said time-measuring circuit;
readout means, external to said appliance but connectable to said first and send means, for reading out and displaying in chronological order the measured and stored times during which said appliance was worn and not worn.

21. For use in maxillary orthopaedics wherein a moulding means which can be pressed against the teeth is worn in the mouth to adjust the position of the teeth, an apparatus for measuring the wearing time of said moulding means, comprising:

a time-measuring device carried by said moulding means and actuated by a switch when the moulding means is held in the mouth, said time-measuring device comprising an electric circuit including an electronic counter connected to an impulse generator, and a battery, said time-measuring device, said battery and said switch being encased and accommodated in at least one cavity formed in the moulding means and said moulding means being in substantial part externally unaltered in shape by the presence of said encased and accommodated time-measuring device, battery and switch.