Mouth-opening device custom-made through 3-dimensional printing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10499802-B1
Application number	US-201816118897-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Aug 31, 2018
Priority date	Aug 31, 2018
Publication date	Dec 10, 2019
Grant date	Dec 10, 2019

Abstract

A device is provided for opening mouth. The device is custom-made through 3-dimensional (3D) printing. The overall framework is printed out after 3D-scanning the oral cavity, which meets a patient's oral shape. The present invention practically and effectively fabricates a custom-made mouth-opening device. The mouth's structure changed after surgery is taken into consideration, so that the patient can easily open the mouth with one hand. Furthermore, because the weight overall is light, the whole single-hand operation feels no heavy. The prolonged work of dental rehabilitation required by the patient is met. The device is easy to be cleaned. The feature of high material strength yet with proper softness is achieved. The comfort of use is increased for the patient with life quality enhanced. The effectiveness of rehabilitation and intervention is improved. The cost of custom-made medical material is effectively reduced.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A custom-made device fabricated through 3-dimensional (3D) printing for opening mouth, comprising
a first supporting body, comprising a first body, a first pivoting part and a first supporting part,
wherein said first body has a first space; said first pivoting part extends out from a first end of said first body; said first supporting part extends out from a second end of said first body; and said first supporting body is deposed in said oral cavity;

a second supporting body, comprising a second body, a second pivoting part and a second supporting part,
wherein said second body has a second space; said second pivoting part extends out from a first end of said second body; said second supporting part extends out from a second end of said second body; and said second supporting body is deposed in said oral cavity;
wherein said first and said second supporting bodies pivot with each other through said first and said second pivoting parts; and
wherein said first supporting part is coordinated with said second supporting part to open and close said oral cavity; and

a screw,
wherein said screw has a third end pivoted in said first space of said first supporting body; said screw has a fourth end movable and operated at a various of angles to lean on in said second space of said second supporting body; and said screw is screwed with a nut,
wherein an overall framework is printed out through 3D-printing after 3D-scanning an oral cavity to meet the shape of said oral cavity; and
wherein, after said first and said second supporting bodies are in a closed state to be deposed into said oral cavity, a single hand rotates said nut screwed on said screw to open said oral cavity by propping said first supporting body against said second supporting body as a fixed end with the coordination of said second space which is bigger than said first space.

2. The custom-made device according to claim 1 ,
wherein said first and said second supporting parts are in a state of mirroring to each other.

3. The custom-made device according to claim 1 ,
wherein each one of said first and said second supporting parts has an occluding surface occupying a part of area of an outer surface of said each one.

4. The custom-made device according to claim 3 ,
wherein said occluding surface is a surface selected from a group consisting of a wavy surface and a grooved surface.

5. The custom-made device according to claim 1 ,
wherein said first and said second supporting parts are progressively flattened from said second ends of said first and said second bodies to obtain long-strip supporting parts, respectively.

6. The custom-made device according to claim 1 ,
wherein said first and said second supporting parts are progressively flattened and widened from said second ends of said first and said second bodies to obtain arc-like supporting parts, respectively.

7. The custom-made device according to claim 6 ,
wherein each one of front ends of said first and said second supporting parts separately bends at a side outwardly from said oral cavity to obtain a curved arc to support and occlude at said side.

8. The custom-made device according to claim 1 ,
wherein a seat is deposed in said first space of said first body; and an end of said screw is deposed in a sink hole obtained in said seat to pivot said screw in said first space of said first supporting body through said seat.

9. The custom-made device according to claim 1 ,
wherein, with said second supporting body as a fixed end, said first supporting body moves up and down by rotating said nut to obtain a state selected from a group consisting of an opening state and a closing state.

Assignees

• Univ Kaohsiung Medical

Inventors

• Chen Chia-Hsin
• Pai Yi-Hung

Classifications

• A46B2200/302

  Broom · CPC title

• A61C5/82

  Dams; Holders or clamps therefor · CPC title

• A61C13/0019

  using three dimensional printing · CPC title

• B33Y50/00

  Data acquisition or data processing for additive manufacturing · CPC title

• A61B34/10

  Computer-aided planning, simulation or modelling of surgical operations · CPC title