Measuring and testing – Muscular force – Jaw or hand
Reexamination Certificate
2002-10-16
2004-09-07
Noori, Max (Department: 2855)
Measuring and testing
Muscular force
Jaw or hand
Reexamination Certificate
active
06786092
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a muscle pressure measuring device for a mouth capable of measuring pressure against tooth rows and tooth sockets, which pressure is induced by lips and muscles around an oral cavity or a complex of orbicularis oris and buccinator muscles, and measuring pressure of a tongue; an adapter for the muscle pressure measuring device for a mouth; and mouthpieces for the muscle pressure measuring device for a mouth.
BACKGROUND ART
It is known that soft tissues or muscular tissues around the lips not only have an effect on oral functions but also have close relevance to maintenance and the like of a normal dental arch.
Further, it is known that strong compression on a tooth row by the pressure of muscles around an oral cavity, such as the pressure of the lips, a buccinator muscle, a tongue, or the like, greatly affects implants, odontopathy such as periodontitis, and the treatment using prosthodontics in general dental treatment, and especially orthodontic treatment.
Further, depending on the amount, the pressure of the muscles around the oral cavity, the pressure of the lips, and the pressure of the tongue affect teeth not only during the orthodontic treatment but also retention after the orthodontic treatment, namely, stabilization of the prognosis.
Therefore, when orthodontic treatment is carried out with no regard to the pressure of the muscles around the oral cavity, the pressure of the lips, and the pressure of the tongue, the orthodontic treatment may not be satisfactory. Even if orthodontic treatment has been carried out, the prognosis may not be stable, and regression may be caused.
For this reason, when the courses of treatment are decided in orthodontic diagnosis and before treatment is carried out, it is necessary to study the pressure of the lips, the pressure of the muscles around the oral cavity, and the pressure of the tongue of an examinee who will have teeth-straightening. Further, collecting such data is effective and essential for determining the effects of oral muscle function therapy (M.F.T.).
For example, as a conventional method for measuring the pressure of the lip, a small pressure sensor is inserted into an oral vestibule and disposed between an inner side of the lip and teeth and gum. The pressure of the lip is measured when the lips function in situations of everyday life, such as when the lips are closed, when the lip is at a stable position, and during smiling or drinking fruit juice. However, every measurement is in fact experimental, and thus, this method is not common in daily clinical use.
Another method is also carried out as follows. In order to study the influence of soft tissues on the jaw, the skeletal system of the face, the teeth, the dental arch, and the like, a lip piece is put in the mouth of an examinee and pulled in a fixed direction by an electric motor of a muscle pressure measuring device connected to the lip piece, until the lip piece is pulled out of the lips, and the tractive force (the maximum value) when the lip piece is pulled out of the lips is measured.
However, in the method using the small pressure sensor, the time required to collect data, in other words, the length of the sitting time for which the examinee sits in a chair, becomes long. This places a considerable burden on the examinee.
Further, dispersion of the collected data is significant, and thus the quality of such a set of data is inadequate.
In the method in which the lip piece is pulled by the motor, the device is large and setting time before the test is long, thereby placing a considerable burden on the examinee. In this method, the tractive force when the lip piece is pulled out of the lips is measured. In this case, the tractive force is influenced by not only the strength of the muscles around the oral cavity but also other elements such as the shape, flexibility, or the like of the lips.
Further, not only the lip pressure but also the cheek pressure and the tongue pressure are relevant to the dental arch. Regarding this, the conventional measuring devices for measuring the lip pressure have not been capable of measuring the tongue pressure.
In view of the above-described facts, an object of the present invention is to provide a muscle pressure measuring device for a mouth which can easily and accurately measure, without placing a considerable burden on an examinee sitting in a chair, the pressure on the muscles around the oral cavity such as the pressure of the upper or lower lip, the pressure of the tongue, and the pressure of the cheek, in the mouth (and which can measure the maximum lip pressure, the pressure of the lip at a rest position, the maximum buccinator muscle pressure, the pressure of the buccinator muscle at a rest position, the maximum tongue pressure, the pressure of the tongue at rest, and the pressure of the muscles when they are functioning), an adapter for the muscle pressure measuring device for a mouth, and mouthpieces for the muscle pressure measuring device for a mouth.
MEANS FOR SOLVING THE PROBLEMS
A muscle pressure measuring device according to a first aspect of the invention comprises: a pair of mouthpieces facing each other; and a force measuring device connected to the pair of mouthpiece for measuring force acting on the pair of mouthpieces when the mouthpieces approach each other, the muscle pressure measuring device being capable of measuring at least one of pressure of an upper or lower lip, pressure of a muscle around an oral cavity, pressure of a buccinator muscle, and pressure of a tongue.
The invention according to a second aspect is the muscle pressure measuring device for a mouth of the first aspect, wherein the pair of mouthpieces are curved along a tooth row.
The invention according to a third aspect is the muscle pressure measuring device for a mouth of the first or second aspect, wherein the pair of mouthpieces are removable with respect to the force measuring device.
The invention according to a fourth aspect is the muscle pressure measuring device for a mouth of any one of the first to third aspects, comprising a plurality of mouthpieces of different configurations, which mouthpieces are formed based on an average size of a dental arch of normal occlusion of each age group.
The invention according to a fifth aspect is the muscle pressure measuring device for a mouth of any one of the first to fourth aspects, wherein a recess for avoiding contact with a frenulum of the upper or lower lip is provided in a center of each of the pair of mouthpieces.
The invention according to a sixth aspect is the muscle pressure measuring device for a mouth of any of the first to fifth aspects, wherein a gap between the pair of mouthpieces becomes smaller towards the base of gum when the pair of mouthpiece are disposed along the tooth row.
The invention according to a seventh aspect is the muscle pressure measuring device for a mouth of any of the first to sixth aspects, wherein the mouthpiece comprises an elastic body at at least a portion contacting teeth.
The invention according to an eighth aspect is the muscle pressure measuring device for a mouth of the seventh aspect, wherein the elastic body is detachably provided at the mouthpiece.
The invention according to a ninth aspect is the muscle pressure measuring device for a mouth of any one of the first to eighth aspects, wherein the mouthpiece is formed of metal.
The invention according to a tenth aspect is the muscle pressure measuring device for a mouth of any one of the first to eighth aspects, wherein the mouthpiece is formed of at least one material selected from stainless steel, ceramic, and synthetic resin.
A muscle pressure measuring device for a mouth according to an eleventh aspect comprises: a mouthpiece disposed in a mouth along a tooth row, the mouthpiece comprising at least one fluid chamber which is filled with a fluid and whose wall surfaces are made of a flexible material; and a pressure measuring device which is connected via a tube to the fluid chamber to measure pressure on the fluid inside the fluid chamber.
Th
McCracken & Frank LLP
Noori Max
LandOfFree
Muscle pressure measuring instrument for mouth cavity,... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Muscle pressure measuring instrument for mouth cavity,..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Muscle pressure measuring instrument for mouth cavity,... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3244950