178 results about "Temporomandibular joint" patented technology

Methods and systems are described to digitally model the 4-dimensional dynamics of jaw and tooth motion using time-based 3-dimensional data. Complete upper and lower digital models are registered to time-based 3-dimensional intra-oral data to produce a true 4-dimensional model. Diagnostic and clinical applications include balancing the occlusion and characterizing the geometry of the temporomandibular joint. The 4-dimensional model is readily combined with conventional imaging methods such as CT to create a more complete virtual patient model.

The invention relates to an apparatus for temporomandibular joint-related corrections of tooth position, taking into account a variant of the registration or construction of the bite predetermined by the user.The invention is characterized in that a base module extending at least on the occlusion-bearing part of one side of the jaw is supported in an intermaxillary manner and has cavities formed by a setup technique to accommodate teeth, by means of which the tension forces necessary for tooth movements can act on the teeth, in that the base module has a three-dimensionally defined jaw support designed in accordance with specifications of the user, and in that the jaw support is formed by bite blocks and / or interceptors which have cavities filled with a filling material of predeterminable elasticity.

The present embodiment relates to the use of a musculoskeletal repositioning device in physical rehabilitation and athletic training by causing increased muscular strength and power and decreased muscular tension especially during the physical rehabilitation and athletic training. The device guides the condyles and articulating discs of the temporomandibular joint from a neutral or passive position into an active power position.

A method for treating a patient with laser energy to improve hearing loss. The method involves applying laser energy to the patient's spine, preferably by sweeping a linear laser beam over the patient's skin. The method may alternatively include applying laser energy to the patient's jaw, skull, ears, or a combination thereof. The laser device used for treating the patient is preferably a hand-held probe that moves freely relative to the patient's skin and can generate more than one wavelength of laser energy. In the preferred treatment, the patient is treated with a hand-held probe that emits two laser beams, one laser beam producing a pulsed line of red laser light and the other producing a pulsed line of green laser light. In the preferred embodiment, the patient's upper back, cervical vertebrae, cranial nerves, and temporomandibular joints are treated with laser energy for a total of less than 20 minutes in a single treatment.

A performance enhancing and force absorbing mouthguard adapted to fit the upper teeth of the mouth of an athlete wherein the mouthguard is of a composite material. The first internal layer is a nonsoftenable flexible framework which will permit the mouthguard to hold its shape during fitting as well as to absorb and dissipate significant impact conveyed to the upper teeth. The framework includes hard, durable bite plate wedges which lower the condyle from the temporomandibular joint in a fulcrum action to place the lower jaw in an optimum condition preventing impingement upon the nerves and arteries as well as spacing the upper and lower teeth apart. Elastomeric traction pads are on the bottom of the mouthguard and are grippingly engaged by the posterior teeth of the lower jaw. The elastomeric pads extend forwardly to form an anterior impact brace on the front of the mouthguard. While the framework and traction pads are mechanically interlocked, a softenable material is placed over the mouthguard excepting the contact portions of the traction pads and anterior impact brace to encapsulate the mouthguard and to permit custom fitting.

Systems, apparatuses, and methods for providing non-transcranial electrical stimuli to a biological subject may employ a support structure, at least one waveform generator, and at least a first electrode and a second electrode. The system can be sized and dimensioned to be worn on a head of the biological subject and operable to deliver non-transcranial electrical stimuli to at least one of the temporomandibular joints of the biological subject.

In one embodiment, an oral appliance includes a first arch adapted to receive at least some of a user's teeth and a second arch adapted to receive at least some of the user's teeth. The first arch includes an anterior substantially planar region, a right posterior substantially planar region, and a left posterior substantially planar region. The second arch includes an anterior bearing point, a right posterior bearing point, and a left posterior bearing point. Each bearing point of the second arch contacts a corresponding substantially planar region of the first arch when the user bites down with the oral appliance inserted in the user's mouth and the user's temporomandibular joint in its proper natural position. In a more particular embodiment, the oral appliance may be used to help maintain stability of one or more aspects of the user's masticatory system, including at least helping to maintain proper positioning of the user's temporomandibular joint.

Systems, devices and methods are disclosed for concurrently treating temporomandibular joint dysfunction (TMD) and orthodontically moving teeth. The devices can have an orthodontic aligner and a TMD treatment device. The devices can be configured to concurrently reposition a mandible and orthodontically move one or more teeth.

A dental appliance having increased or decreased thickness between an upper shell and a lower shell in combination with a hinging mechanism and a system and a method for treating malocclusions are provided. The dental appliance may have an upper shell and a lower shell which receive upper teeth and lower teeth, respectively, of a user. The upper shell and the lower shell may be attached at a hinge. The dental appliance may have an increased thickness between the upper shell and the lower shell as well as an increased thickness of the hinge. In an embodiment, the dental appliance may have a decreased vertical thickness and an insertable hinging mechanism. The dental appliance may then extend treatment of malocclusions to the rear teeth of the user and may correct a dental condition, such as, for example, overbite, overjet, open bite, crowding, rotations, spacing, cross-bites, gummy smiles and temporomandibular joint problems.

The invention discloses a redundant actuation chewing robot with a bionic temporal-mandibular joint. The redundant actuation chewing robot comprises a robot mechanical body structure and a control system. The invention belongs to the technical field of a bionic robot. On the basis of fully researching the structure, the function and the moving form of the temporal-mandibular joint of human, the bionic temporal-mandibular joint is designed through a point-contact high-vice structure, and the actuation of chewing muscles to the mandible is simulated through six PUS branched chains; therefore, a parallel-connection mechanism containing the point-contact high-vice structure has the characteristic of redundant actuation and meets the redundant characteristic of a mandible system. The redundant actuation chewing robot with the bionic temporal-mandibular joint, which is disclosed by the invention, has the advantages of high bionic property, high rigidity, low specificity and the like; the control system of the redundant actuation chewing robot has three working modes of demonstration, food estimation and false tooth test; application of the chewing robot in multiple sciences such as the oral medicine and the food science can be realized.

Methods and compositions are disclosed for an intra-articular injection for the treatment of osteoarthritis. The methods and compositions comprising combinations of hyaluronic acid and a bone morphogenetic protein, like rhGDF-5, can be useful for any synovial joint, including the knee, shoulder, hip, ankle, hands, spinal facet, or temporomandibular joint, both for the relief of pain and for slowing disease progression.

A craniofacial anatomic simulator with cephalometer is disclosed and omnidirectional osteogenesis is provided as an example thereof. The craniofacial anatomic simulator (CAS) includes an articulator in which a stereolithographic medical model is mounted. The medical model hereof is modified for this purpose so that the mandibular portion is mounted together with the craniomaxillary portion in a manner which simulates the excursive movement of the temporomandibular joint and the masseteric sling providing both rotational and translational motion. The cephalometer consists of three digital calipers that provide locational data—height, depth and lateral position for any point on the stereolithographic model.

An apparatus including a bite frame and a bite shaped member is provided. The bite frame includes one or more arcuate frame elements defining an opening for accommodating a mesh element or the bite shaped member that receives a bite registration material for registering a bite impression. The bite shaped member has a geometrical body structure, upper and lower channels of configurable shapes, and upper and lower windows. The upper and lower windows are separated by a space for receiving and allowing flow of the bite registration material to register a vertical distance between the upper and lower jaws. An image processing system operably connected to the apparatus determines the three-dimensional relation between the upper and lower jaws with reference to temporomandibular joints using panoramic images of the upper and lower jaws, reference points provided by radio-opaque markers, three-dimensional scanned images of the bite impression, and three-dimensional head surface images.

In one embodiment, an oral appliance includes a first arch adapted to receive at least some of a user's teeth and a second arch adapted to receive at least some of the user's teeth. The first arch includes an one or more substantially planar regions, such as a single anterior substantially planar region or an anterior substantially planar region, a right posterior substantially planar region, and a left posterior substantially planar region for example. The second arch includes one or more bearing points, such as a single anterior bearing point or an anterior bearing point, a right posterior bearing point, and a left posterior bearing point for example. A bearing point may include a ball that contacts the corresponding substantially planar region of the first arch when the user bites down with the oral appliance inserted in the user's mouth and the user's temporomandibular joint in its proper natural position. In a more particular embodiment, the oral appliance may be used to help maintain stability of one or more aspects of the user's masticatory system, including at least helping to maintain proper positioning of the user's temporomandibular joint.

A TemporoMandibular Joint (TMJ) balancing appliance and a method for using the same are provided, in which a first base portion accommodates incisor teeth, a second base portion is extended from a left side of the first base portion and accommodates left molar teeth, and a third base portion is extended from a right side of the first base portion and accommodates right molar teeth. The first base portion includes an upper part for accommodating upper incisor teeth and a lower part for accommodating lower incisor teeth and has a center for accommodating the upper and lower incisor teeth higher than the left and right sides.

The invention discloses a system for assisting a stomatognathic system to carry out rehabilitation training and a method for recording motion parameters. The method comprises the following step of, firstly, recording the motion parameters of a subject, including a motion track, a motion velocity and an acceleration of a mandible, an interaction force of the mandible and a bracket as well as an electromyogram signal of facial muscles of the subject; secondly, sending the recorded motion parameters to a comprehensive processing device, and analyzing and processing the recorded motion parameters; and thirdly, displaying the recorded motion parameters, and supplying visual feedback information to the subject so as to regulate motion of a temporomandibular joint; or judging the deviation of the motion parameters and set values of the mandible of the subject by the system, and carrying out mechanical auxiliary rectificative training on the subject; or judging motion deviation values of the mandible of the subject by the system, and helping the subject to train related muscle groups and recover normal mandibular motion with the excitation of nerve muscles by an electrostimulator. With the adoption of the system, the functions are diversified, the operation is convenient, and the stomatognathic system can be assisted to recover the normal motion functions.

Disclosed is an image registration and an augmented reality system and an augmented reality method thereof which is suitable for solving the problem of spatial localization of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) in arthroscopic surgery. The system comprises a three-dimensional scanning model building device, a stereoscopic image photographing device, a projection device and an arithmetic unit. The three-dimensional scanning model was constructed by preoperative or intraoperative imaging of the patient, and the surface three-dimensional model constructed by the stereoscopic image photographing device was spatially aligned to remove the surface (skin layer) of the three-dimensional image to display the TMJ image. Through the calibration of the stereoscopic image photographing device and the projection device, accurate, three-dimensional TMJ image location information is projected onto the patient's body to achieve the purpose.

The invention discloses an artificial temporal-mandibular joint based on selective laser melting technology and a manufacturing method thereof. The artificial temporal-mandibular joint comprises a condyle process, a condylar neck and a titanium plate formed with nail holes; the same as the structure of the mandible of human body, the condyle process is protruded at the rear edge of the upper end of the condylar neck; the titanium plate is mounted at the lower end of the condylar neck. According to the artificial temporal-mandibular joint based on selective laser melting technology and the manufacturing method thereof, the artificial temporal-mandibular joint is printed and formed in three dimensional mode through using selective laser melting technology, and the artificial temporal-mandibular joint is made according to the mandible shape of each patient, and accordingly the artificial temporal-mandibular joint is perfectly matched with the mandible structure of the patient.

The invention relates to a measurement method for a temporo-mandibular joint and a preparation method of an intraoral splint and belongs to the field of oral medical treatment. The measurement method for the temporo-mandibular joint comprises the steps of obtaining an oral model of a patient, determining a target image of the patient via the oral model, separating an upper jaw and a lower jaw according to the target image to allow the lower jaw to be free, allowing dental crown images in different jaw position states to be matched and overlapped with a corresponding dental crown image, and guiding the free lower jaw to a corresponding jaw position to determine an image of the temporo-mandibular joint. The measurement method has the advantages of low cost, high efficiency and accuracy and facilitates orthodontics of a patient with temporo-mandibular disorders.

The present invention relates to the biomechanical model of human lower jawbone in oral cavity masticatory surface surgery, and aims at forming one kind of experimental biomechanical model of human lower jawbone approaching the functional state. The biomechanical model includes lower jawbone, upper jaw model, temporomandibular joint model, occlusion platform, loading myodynamia and loading device. The model can be used in simulating the action of masseter, temporal muscle, musculus pterygoideus internus and musculus pterygoideus externus, and is superior to available simplified model. The biomechanical model of the present invention is accurate, objective and complete in simulating lower jawbone in functional state and is significant for relevant laboratory research and clinical application.

The present invention relates to an apparatus for enhancing isometric and / or isotonic exercises and methods of using same. In particular, the apparatus for enhancing isometric exercises includes a substantially rigid annular exercising assembly which is placed in a user's mouth and held in place by the user's lips and more particularly between the user's lips in such a manner that the user's upper and lower teeth are not in a substantially engaged position. The substantially rigid annular exercising assembly has an exterior and an interior wall which connect and thereby form a trough. The anterior, medial and posterior surfaces of the user's lips fit within the trough thereby providing the mechanism for holding the substantially rigid annular exercising assembly within the user's mouth during exercise. In this manner, the substantially rigid annular exercising assembly is essentially freestanding and does not require the user to grind their teeth, or tense or strain the jaw or Templar-Mandibular Joint. When in place, the substantially rigid annular exercising assembly increases isometric resistance during exercise, weight training, or facial toning. When used as an isotonic exercising aid, the apparatus would be substantially flexible or semi-flexible to thereby allow some movement of a user's jaw and other facial muscles.

A system of dental appliances having various sizes and types and a method for treating malocclusions of patients of various ages without adjustments or appointments are provided. The dental appliances may be sized to treat, for example, patients in age ranges of less than six years; six years to twelve years; and twelve or more years. The dental appliances may have preformed and / or customized sockets and / or slots for more than one tooth, such as incisors and / or canines and / or molars and / or premolars and / or deciduous molars and / or adult molars. The dental appliances may be one-size-fits-all type dental appliances. The dental appliances may be used to treat a malocclusion, such as, for example, an overbite, an overjet, crowding, spacing, or temporomandibular joint problems, and may be distributed in an over-the-counter manner.

A computer aided system of orthopedic surgery is disclosed and omnidirectional osteogenesis is provided as an example thereof. To perform this surgery a craniofacial anatomic surgical simulator (CASS) is described, in which simulator a stereolithographic medical model is mounted. The medical model hereof is modified for this purpose so that pre-operative intra-oral devices, including custom-fitted fixation plates, can be crafted. An occlusal splint formed on the stereolithographic model acts as an armature for a docking bar which is, during the surgical operation, rigidly affixed to the fixation plate(s). The CASS, in one embodiment hereof, includes an indexing means for alignment of the stereolithographic model. The CASS also simulates the temporomandibular joint and fixedly mounts segments of the model in a post-operative condition.

According to one embodiment, an oral appliance for maintaining stability of one or more aspects of a user's masticatory system includes a first arch adapted to receive at least some of the user's teeth and a second arch adapted to receive at least some of the user's teeth. The first arch includes an anterior substantially planar region located proximate a midline of the first arch. The second arch includes an anterior bearing platform located proximate a midline of the second arch, elongated in an anterior-posterior direction, and operable to contact the anterior substantially planar region of the first arch when the user bites down with the oral appliance inserted in the user's mouth and the user's temporomandibular joint in its proper natural position to help maintain stability of one or more aspects of the user's masticatory system.

An apparatus and method for creating dental prosthetics with greater accuracy and consistency is provided. The apparatus includes a base, an ear mount portion for making contact with a patient's head such that the patient's temporomandibular joints are maintained in a fixed level position relative to the base, a chin mount portion for making contact with the patient's chin and nose bridge such that the chin mount portion maintains the patient's head in a perpendicular orientation relative to the base, a bite fork portion including a bite fork which may be inserted into the patient's mouth for the purpose of obtaining the patient's bite registration information, and a camera mount portion including a camera oriented toward the patient's face.