Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
~33733
"APPARATUS FOR USE IN MAXILLARY ORTHOPAEDICS"
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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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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
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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
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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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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
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~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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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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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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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-
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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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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.
