KR102266886B1 - An orthodontic device and an orthodontic method using the same - Google Patents

Abstract

One embodiment of the present invention, the orthodontic frame installed on the teeth; a first electrode fixed to the oral side surface of the orthodontic frame; a second electrode fixed to the inside of the orthodontic frame; and a conductive wire electrically connecting the first and second electrodes and fixed to the tooth-side surface of the orthodontic frame, wherein external stimulation of the same intensity is simultaneously applied to the orthodontic frame and the first electrode Corrective devices are provided.

Description

Orthodontic device and orthodontic method using same {AN ORTHODONTIC DEVICE AND AN ORTHODONTIC METHOD USING THE SAME}

The present invention relates to an orthodontic device and a method for orthodontic treatment using the same.

When a malocclusion occurs, the teeth are not aligned and food debris is likely to remain between the teeth. Because it is not easy to keep it clean with accurate brushing, plaque in the oral cavity increases and it is easy to progress to gum disease such as dental caries or gum inflammation. In addition, if there are teeth that deviate a lot from the normal dentition or the position of the jaw is abnormal, the possibility of damage to the teeth such as tooth fracture increases when an external shock is applied.

Treatment of such malocclusion is orthodontic treatment or orthodontic treatment. Orthodontic treatment uses the property of teeth to move when a certain force is applied. Treatment of malocclusion uses various devices and methods depending on the cause or treatment period. There are devices designed to remove the habit, devices that inhibit or enhance the growth of the upper and lower jaw bones, devices that gradually move teeth to a desired position, etc. It can also be divided into a removable fixed device.

Currently, the most used is a fixed treatment method in which a device called a bracket is attached to the teeth and the teeth are moved using elasticity such as orthodontic wires and rubber bands, and is commonly used for any kind of malocclusion. Brackets are usually made of metal, but there is a disadvantage that is noticeable during the treatment period.

To solve these shortcomings, a method of orthodontics using clear aligner has been proposed. Transparent orthodontics is a procedure that straightens teeth by manufacturing transparent orthodontic devices that change step by step from the state of the teeth before orthodontic treatment to the state of the teeth after orthodontic treatment, and replacing them with the teeth.

Specifically, the procedure using the transparent orthodontic device was developed in 1997, and is an orthodontic device developed by "Align Technology, Inc." of the United States under the name of "Invisalign System", and U.S. Patent No. 5,975,893 and 6,217,325 and the like are disclosed. "Invisalign System" cuts teeth one by one on a computer using a special program for three-dimensional scan data of teeth, creates 20 to 30 pairs of models step by step to the position where the teeth need to move through virtual simulation, and then each For each model, a transparent plastic frame that can move teeth is produced and distributed to patients. As a feature of "Invisalign System", the teeth to be corrected are moved little by little to the final target point by inserting a series of plastic orthodontic devices in the form of a prepared plastic frame into the teeth step by step. Since it is not recognized, it can be of great help to the orthodontic patient's daily social life, and the patient can easily detach the orthodontic device as needed.

In other words, the orthodontic appliance used for transparent orthodontic treatment is made of transparent plastic, so it has excellent aesthetics. The device used for transparent orthodontics is made by a vacuum molding method in which a mold is made by making a model of a tooth, a 1mm-hard transparent plastic sheet is placed on the mold, heat is applied, and negative pressure is applied to the mold. The thickness of the molded orthodontic appliance varies according to the curvature of the tooth shape.

In contrast to the general reluctance to see orthodontic appliances on the outside, transparent orthodontic treatment using transparent orthodontic devices allows for easy oral care, such as brushing, because the device can be detached. It is much smaller than a general orthodontic appliance using a wire, and there is no need to rush to the dentist because the appliance is dropped or punctured by a wire, and it is recognized as an orthodontic treatment with excellent esthetics because it cannot be easily recognized from the outside.

However, in spite of the advantages as described above compared to the general orthodontic device described above, the pain applied to the patient is not small. That is, since this transparent orthodontic treatment induces tooth alignment by using a hard sheet due to the nature of the material to ensure esthetics, the pain inflicted to the patient is not small because the transparent orthodontic device is hard due to the nature of the hard material. Accordingly, although attempts have been made to eliminate the pain applied to the patient by controlling the degree of force by adjusting the thickness of the sheet, there is still a lot of pain inflicted on the patient.

Korea Patent No. 10-1510857, like the existing transparent aligners, can be detached, so oral care is easy and inconspicuous, so it has good esthetics, and unlike the existing transparent aligners, it minimizes the pain experienced by the patient. A transparent orthodontic device of a new structure that can further increase satisfaction in orthodontic treatment is disclosed, but this also only relieves the patient's pain by relying only on mechanical means.

The present invention is to solve the problems of the prior art described above, and an object of the present invention is to increase the movement speed of teeth by combining mechanical means and exogenous electric current stimulation to promote remodeling and regeneration of surrounding periodontal tissues and alveolar bone, and through this To provide an orthodontic device capable of dramatically shortening the period required for orthodontic treatment and a method for orthodontic treatment using the same.

One aspect of the present invention, the orthodontic frame installed on the teeth; a first electrode fixed to the oral side surface of the orthodontic frame; a second electrode fixed to the inside of the orthodontic frame; and a conductive wire electrically connecting the first and second electrodes and fixed to the tooth-side surface of the orthodontic frame, wherein external stimulation of the same intensity is simultaneously applied to the orthodontic frame and the first electrode Corrective devices are provided.

In one embodiment, the orthodontic frame may include a thermoplastic resin.

In one embodiment, the thermoplastic resin may include a thermoplastic elastomer.

In one embodiment, the thermoplastic elastomer may be one selected from the group consisting of silicone, ethylene vinyl acetate, thermoplastic polyurethane, and a combination of two or more thereof.

In one embodiment, the thermoplastic elastomer may be transparent.

In one embodiment, the first and second electrodes may include one selected from the group consisting of a metal, a metal oxide, a metal nitride, a carbon compound, a conductive polymer, a conductive resin composition, and a combination of two or more thereof.

In one embodiment, in the case of the external stimulus, the electric charges collected on the outermost surface move through the living body by repeated contact or friction between the charged object and the outermost surface of the living body to reach the calibration frame and the first electrode at the same time can be authorized by

Another aspect of the present invention, (a) fixing the orthodontic device to the patient's teeth; (b) collecting electric charges on the outermost surface by repeated contact or friction between the electrified object and the outermost surface of the patient's body; (c) generating a potential difference at the first and second electrodes by causing the collected charges to travel through the body and reach the orthodontic frame and the first electrode at the same time; (d) stimulating the teeth and surrounding areas by using the electric current flowing along the conductive wire by the generated electric potential difference; provides a method of orthodontic treatment comprising a.

The orthodontic appliance according to one aspect of the present invention includes energy harvested by triboelectric charging, that is, electric charges collected on the outermost surface by repeated contact or friction between an electrified object and the outermost surface of the body. By allowing the water to move through the dielectric polarization, it is possible to minimize the dielectric loss that occurs in the process of transferring energy, and to promote the remodeling and regeneration of the surrounding periodontal tissue and alveolar bone by combining mechanical means and exogenous current stimulation. By doing so, the movement speed of the teeth can be increased, and the period required for orthodontic treatment can be dramatically shortened.

Energy harvested by triboelectric charging is transmitted or applied with the same intensity to the orthodontic frame and the first electrode of the orthodontic device without substantially dielectric loss through the living body, and the orthodontic frame is configured to generate a potential difference between the first and second electrodes and Therefore, it is possible to apply electrical stimulation of the required strength to the teeth and surrounding tissues for a certain period of time without separately designing a triboelectric generator or adding a charger or external power source.

The effects of the present invention are not limited to the above effects, but it should be understood to include all effects that can be inferred from the configuration of the invention described in the detailed description or claims of the present invention.

1 is a schematic diagram of the operating principle of an orthodontic appliance according to an embodiment of the present invention.
2 and 3 are schematic views of an orthodontic appliance according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention may be embodied in several different forms, and thus is not limited to the embodiments described herein. And in order to clearly explain the present invention in the drawings, parts irrelevant to the description are omitted, and similar reference numerals are attached to similar parts throughout the specification.

Throughout the specification, when a part is "connected" with another part, this includes not only the case where it is "directly connected" but also the case where it is "indirectly connected" with another member interposed therebetween. . In addition, when a part "includes" a certain component, this means that other components may be further provided without excluding other components unless otherwise stated.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 is a schematic diagram of an operating principle of an orthodontic appliance according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIGS. 2 and 3 are diagrams illustrating an orthodontic appliance according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 to 3, the orthodontic apparatus according to an aspect of the present invention includes an orthodontic (140) frame installed on the teeth; The first electrode 110 fixed to the oral surface of the orthodontic frame; a second electrode 120 fixed to the inside of the orthodontic frame; and a conductive wire 130 electrically connecting the first and second electrodes and fixed to the tooth-side surface of the orthodontic frame. As used herein, the term "surface portion" may mean the outside of the tooth-side surface of the orthodontic frame, and if necessary, to deliver a stimulus of effective strength to the teeth and surrounding tissues in the thickness direction from the tooth-side surface. It may also mean an area within a range that can be

An external stimulus having the same intensity may be simultaneously applied to the calibration frame and the first electrode. The external stimulus may be an exogenous current. As used herein, the term "extrinsic current" refers to the triboelectric effect, that is, the flow of electric charges collected on the outermost surface of the body by repeated contact or friction between the charged object and the patient's outermost surface. means, and the exogenous current may flow from the outermost surface of the body to the orthodontic appliance through the dielectric body. The body contains a large amount of water, and by allowing the electric charge to move through the dielectric polarization of the water, it is possible to minimize dielectric loss occurring in the process of transferring energy. As used herein, the term "outermost surface of the body" refers to the outermost surface of the body, for example, the soles of the feet, palms, etc., when the patient is not wearing clothes or shoes, and the patient is wearing clothes or shoes. In the state, it can be interpreted to mean the outermost surface of clothing or shoes.

Energy harvested by triboelectric charging is simultaneously transferred or applied with the same intensity to the orthodontic frame and the first electrode of the orthodontic device when in contact with the tongue without substantially dielectric loss through the body of the patient, wherein the orthodontic frame is It may act as a means for generating a potential difference that allows an alternating current to flow between the first and second electrodes. Specifically, when energy of the same intensity is simultaneously applied to the calibration frame and the first electrode in a state in which the first and second electrodes are made of the same material, the potential of the second electrode due to the calibration frame changes to the first It is lower than the potential of the electrode, and this potential difference generates an alternating current between the first and second electrodes, so electricity of the strength required for teeth and surrounding tissues without separately designing a triboelectric generator or adding a charger or external power source Stimulation can be applied for a certain period of time.

The first and second electrodes may include one selected from the group consisting of a metal, a metal oxide, a metal nitride, a carbon compound, a conductive polymer, a conductive resin composition, and a combination of two or more thereof.

The metal is selected from the group consisting of tin, antimony, niobium, indium, zinc, aluminum, boron, gallium, yttrium, titanium, magnesium, cadmium, copper, silver, rhodium, ruthenium, iridium, cobalt, tungsten, and combinations of two or more thereof. It may be one selected, but is not limited thereto.

The metal oxide is tin (Sn) oxide, antimony (Sb), niobium (Nb) or fluorine-doped tin (Sn) oxide, indium (In) oxide, tin-doped indium (In) oxide, zinc (Zn) oxide, Aluminum (Al), boron (B), gallium (Ga), hydrogen (H), indium (In), yttrium (Y), titanium (Ti), silicon (Si) or tin (Sn) doped zinc (Zn) Oxide, magnesium (Mg) oxide, cadmium (Cd) oxide, magnesium zinc (MgZn) oxide, indium zinc (InZn) oxide, copper aluminum (CuAl) oxide, silver (Ag) oxide, gallium (Ga) oxide, zinc tin oxide (ZNSNO), titanium oxide (TiO ₂ ) and zinc indium tin (ZIS) oxide, nickel (Ni) oxide, rhodium (Rh) oxide, ruthenium (Ru) oxide, iridium (Ir) oxide, copper (Cu) oxide, cobalt It may be one selected from the group consisting of (Co) oxide, tungsten (W) oxide, titanium (Ti) oxide, and combinations of two or more thereof, but is not limited thereto.

The metal nitride is selected from the group consisting of a nitride of a group IVB metal element, a nitride of a group VB metal element, a nitride of a group VIB metal element, aluminum nitride, gallium nitride, indium nitride, silicon nitride, germanium nitride, and combinations of two or more thereof. It may be one, but is not limited thereto.

The carbon compound may be one selected from the group consisting of activated carbon, graphite, carbon nanotubes, carbon black, graphene, fullerene, and combinations of two or more thereof, but is not limited thereto.

The conductive polymer is PEDOT (poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene))-PSS (poly(styrenesulfonate)), polyaniline-CSA, pentacene, polyacetylene, P3HT (poly(3-hexylthiophene), Polysiloxane carbazole, polyaniline, polyethylene oxide, (poly(1-methoxy-4-(0-disperse 1)-2,5-phenylene-vinylene), polyindole, polycarbazole, polypyridiazine , polyisotianaphthalene, polyphenylene sulfide, polyvinylpyridine, polythiophene, polyfluorene, polypyridine, polypyrrole, polysulfonitride, and may be one selected from the group consisting of combinations of two or more thereof, but limited thereto it's not going to be

The conductive resin composition may be a mixture of any conductive or non-conductive polymer resin and one or more conductive materials, for example, metal particles, carbon compounds, and the like. The types of metal particles and carbon compounds that can be used are the same as described above.

The orthodontic frame may include a thermoplastic resin. The thermoplastic resin may have insulating properties, semi-insulating properties, dielectric properties, or a combination of two or more thereof. Even when the thermoplastic resin is dielectric, the calibration frame acts as a barrier against charge transfer to the second electrode, so that a potential difference may be generated in the first and second electrodes.

The thermoplastic resin is one selected from the group consisting of polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polystyrene (PS), thermoplastic elastomer, and combinations of two or more thereof. It may include, and preferably, may include a thermoplastic elastomer having flexibility. The thermoplastic elastomer may be one selected from the group consisting of silicone, ethylene vinyl acetate, thermoplastic polyurethane, and a combination of two or more thereof, and preferably, silicone having biocompatibility and transparency, but is not limited thereto.

In the orthodontic device, an appropriate current capable of initiating peripheral bone regeneration is about 1-50 μA, and the local voltage in the tissue may be 1V or less, but is not limited thereto.

In addition, the orthodontic appliance can be applied to most fixed and removable orthodontic appliances. For example, by inserting the orthodontic device into an orthodontic bracket, which is an existing fixed device, current stimulation can be adjusted and applied to all teeth or individual teeth, and the tooth can be applied to a removable upper orthodontic device made of a self-curing polymer. It can be applied topically only to a specific area by implanting the orthodontic appliance. In addition, by expanding the range to which the operating principle of the orthodontic device can be applied, if an exogenous current is applied to the prosthetic implant, the formation of new bone around the implant can be promoted, and in particular, the stability against the load immediately after implantation can be improved. have.

Another aspect of the present invention, (a) fixing the orthodontic device to the patient's teeth; (b) collecting electric charges on the outermost surface by repeated contact or friction between the electrified object and the outermost surface of the patient's body; (c) generating a potential difference at the first and second electrodes by causing the collected charges to travel through the body and reach the orthodontic frame and the first electrode at the same time; (d) stimulating the teeth and surrounding areas by using the electric current flowing along the conductive wire by the generated electric potential difference; provides a method of orthodontic treatment comprising a.

In the orthodontic method, in a state in which the orthodontic device is fixed to the patient's teeth, energy is harvested by a triboelectric charging phenomenon generated by repeated contact or friction caused by the movement of the patient, and the harvested energy is delivered to the stimulation site It is characterized by converting the dielectric loss into usable energy through the dielectric polarization of the body (energy loss return gate).

2 and 3 are schematic views of an orthodontic appliance according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3 , the first electrode 110 is exposed in the oral cavity and can be in direct contact with the tongue, etc., and the second electrode 120 is the inside of the mouthpiece-type orthodontic frame 140 including a thermoplastic resin. can be located in The first and second electrodes are connected by a conductive wire 130 , and the conductive wire may extend to directly or indirectly contact the teeth.

Stimulation of teeth and surrounding tissues using the orthodontic device may be performed in the following way. First, repeated contact or friction by the movement of the patient, for example, repeated contact or friction of shoe-ground, sock-ground, sole-to-ground causes electrical charges to be collected on the surface of the shoe, sock, or sole, and , the collected electric charge, ie, electrical energy, may travel along the patient's body and be simultaneously applied with the same intensity to the orthodontic frame and the first electrode of the orthodontic appliance through the tongue. The electrical energy may generate a potential difference in the first and second electrodes due to the orthodontic frame, and a current flowing along the conductive wire by the generated potential difference may stimulate cells of periodontal tissue and alveolar bone.

The orthodontic appliance has the same aesthetic advantages as the removable transparent orthodontic appliance, and can be installed and removed at any time, and it accelerates the remodeling of the surrounding periodontal tissue and alveolar bone by simultaneously applying mechanical stimulation and exogenous electric current stimulation to the child to increase the movement speed of teeth. and, through this, the period required for correction can be dramatically shortened. Specifically, the orthodontic device and the orthodontic method using the same change the response of surrounding tissues when mechanical orthodontic force and electrical current stimulation are simultaneously applied to the teeth and surrounding tissues compared to when only mechanical stimulation is applied to fibroblasts, osteoclasts, microscopic It can further increase the number of blood vessels, modulate the activity of TGF-βVEGF and bFGF, and stimulate the proliferation and differentiation of osteoblasts due to the direct increase of cyclic nucleotides such as cAMP and cGMP, thereby increasing the tooth movement speed. have.

The description of the present invention described above is for illustration, and those of ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention pertains can understand that it can be easily modified into other specific forms without changing the technical spirit or essential features of the present invention. will be. Therefore, it should be understood that the embodiments described above are illustrative in all respects and not restrictive. For example, each component described as a single type may be implemented in a dispersed form, and likewise components described as distributed may be implemented in a combined form.

The scope of the present invention is indicated by the following claims, and all changes or modifications derived from the meaning and scope of the claims and their equivalents should be construed as being included in the scope of the present invention.

110: first electrode
120: second electrode
130: lead wire
140: straightening frame

Claims (8)

orthodontic frames installed on the teeth and being insulating or dielectric;
a first electrode fixed to the oral side surface of the orthodontic frame;
a second electrode fixed to the inside of the orthodontic frame; and
and a conductive wire electrically connecting the first and second electrodes, wherein the first electrode and the second electrode are not connected to a power source, respectively. The method of claim 1,
The lead wire is an orthodontic device fixed to the tooth side surface portion of the orthodontic frame. delete According to claim 1,
The orthodontic frame comprises a thermoplastic resin, orthodontic device. 5. The method of claim 4,
The thermoplastic resin comprises a thermoplastic elastomer, orthodontic appliance. 6. The method of claim 5,
The thermoplastic elastomer is one selected from the group consisting of silicone, ethylene vinyl acetate, thermoplastic polyurethane, and a combination of two or more thereof, orthodontic appliance. 6. The method of claim 5,
The thermoplastic elastomer is transparent, orthodontic appliance. According to claim 1,
The first and second electrodes are each independently selected from the group consisting of a metal, a metal oxide, a metal nitride, a carbon compound, a conductive polymer, a conductive resin composition, and a combination of two or more thereof.

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