DESCRIPTION

AUTOMATIC MAXILLARY EXPANDER AND TRANSFERING APPARATUS

Transversal maxillary hypoplasia, of adolescents and adults, is frequently seen as an acquired or congenital deformity including cleft patients. In skeletally mature patients the Uni- or bilateral maxillary hypoplasia can be corrected by means of Surgically Assisted Rapid Maxillary Expansion (SARME). In conventional rapid maxillary expansion appliances, known as hyrax appliance, impressions are carried out in the patient and hyrax appliance is soldered on the bands of molar teeth or an acrylic capping is cemented on all the teeth. These tooth-borne appliances may cause periodontal problems, buccal root resorption, cortical fenestration, segmental tipping and anchorage-tooth tipping. Therefore, it may cause loss of anchorage. The tooth- borne appliances can lead to dental caries with mentally retarded patients and patients having poor oral hygiene. Therefore, during maxillary expansion process, tooth-borne appliances may lead to undesired consequences on the part of patient and dentist.

In contrast, bone-borne distractors are applied at a higher level in the palatal vault. It is possible to obtain mainly skeletal expansion with this type of distractors. In addition, tooth tipping does not occur as the forces are directly focused on the bone. However, there may be some undesired effects with this distractor. The now commercially available bone-borne distractors (e.g. Transpalatal Distractor and

Magdenburg Palatal Distractor) have to be fixed with screws and have proven to be useful in acquired deformation patients. MDO-R and Rotterdam distractors do not require screws. However, these distractors are bulky and cause discomfort to the patient. Furthermore, in Rotterdam distractor, the amount of expansion decreases by each activation due to the design of the distractor. For this reason, the patient may not achieve adequate amount of daily expansion. J. Koudstaal et al. mentioned this issue in their preliminary study regarding this distractor.

Automatic Maxillary Expander (7) is a modified design of Hyrax appliance which includes titanium columns(l, 2) and asymmetrical triangular prism shape titanium notched spikes (3). The spikes(3) are the most important parts which conduct directly to the bone the effect of the expander at each turn of the geared co-axial screw(5) and which provide the stability of the distractor in the bone. It is applied to the palatal surface properly under local anesthesia conditions to the maxillary in need of

expansion. The spikes(3), with their notched specific designs, penetrate in to the bone by piercing mucosa with each turn of the geared co-axial screw(5). The columns(l,2) attached to the expanding carrier blocks(4) with preferable angles employ expansion force to maxillary by the spikes(3). Each turn of geared co-axial screw(5), delivers the planned amount of daily expansion force to the maxillary. During expansion, the changeable angle at the joint between the columns(l,2) and spikes(3) provides a better penetration of the spikes(3) into the bone at each maxillary movement, thus increasing the stability of the distractor. Since the distractor is not supported by teeth, no dental tipping is caused. The patient comfort is enhanced due to its significantly smaller size. Automatic Maxillary Expander (7) is a distractor which can be used especially to expand maxillary in adult and adolescents who have maxillary constriction. The nasal passage of the patients who have maxillary constriction expands by the expansion process and the expanded nasal air passage helps the patient nasal breathe normally. While it provides maxillary expansion in the middle line, it expands the diestema between the central incisors, making space for proper tooth contact to improve dental crowding. It provides a shorter orthodontic treatment period and the patients orthodontic treatments have not been interrupted during the expansion process. It also helps to shorten the chair time as much as possible and it is considered as the main advantage. Automatic Maxillary Expander(7) consists of two carrier blocks(4), a geared coaxial screw(5), stability shafts(6) attached to the both sides of the geared co-axial screw(5) and spikes(3) attached to the anterior and posterior notched columns(l,2) which are fixed to carrier blocks(4). The columns(l,2) and spikes(3) have anti-rotation notches. The geared co-axial screw(5) includes two bores intersecting each other at 90 degrees in the middle. In addition, geared co-axial screw(5) includes a gear having a certain number of teeth. Activation key is inserted in the opening of these bores to rotate the geared co-axial screw(5). As the Automatic Maxillary Expander (7) engages the special Transferring Apparatus(22) with the help of the gear on the geared co-axial screw (5), the practitioner can easily place it on the patient's palate. The Practitioner inserts Automatic Maxillary Expander(7), which is attached to the special Transferring Apparatus(22), to the palate under local anesthesia and then triggers the crowbar(9). When the crowbar(9) is pressed, the part under the fulcrum(8) comes closed to handhold(21). Meanwhile, the crowbar arc(19) is suspended and the upper part

of the crowbar(9) goes away from the handhold(21). This movement of the crowbar(9) draws away the creamier gear(14), attached to the upper part of the crowbar from the cradle(13). Thus, the gear(15) in the cradle(13) moves clockwise by the movement of the creamier gear(14). Therefore, geared co axial screw(5), planted between retentive arc(16) and backstop(20) over the cradle(13) tap, in the middle of Automatic Maxillary

Expander(7) starts to revolve anticlockwise. So, Automatic Maxillary Expander(7) expands horizontally. Posterior notched columns(2) are longer than anterior notched columns(l), providing a better adaptation to palatal vault. The asymmetric triangular prism shaped notched spikes(3) on the notched columns(l,2) in both sides penetrate into palatal bone with each tour of the geared coaxial screw(5), then the carrier blocks(4) are separated from each other and the Automatic Maxillary Expander(7) is attached to the palate thanks to the spikes(3). The Automatic Maxillary Expander(7) placed in the palatal surface is stuck between the backstop(20) and flexible retentive arc(16). After this stage, Automatic Maxillary Expander(7) is removed from transferring apparatus(22) with the help of a gentle force and Automatic Maxillary Expander(7) remains stable in the palatal surface. Thus Automatic Maxillary Expander(7) accomplishes its task with the Transferring Apparatus(22).

Views of invention components: Figure 1 : View of Automatic Maxillary Expander(7) from the top and side perspective

Figure IA: View of the demounted Automatic Maxillary Expander(7) from the top and side perspective

Figure IB: View of the mounted carrier block(4), anterior, posterior notched columns(l,2) and asymmetrical triangular prism shaped notched spikes(3) from the top and side perspective

Figure 1C: View of Automatic Maxillary Expander(7) from the bottom and side perspective

Figure 2: View of the mounted Automatic Maxillary Expander(7) and Transferring

Apparatus(22) and Detailed view of the mounted Automatic Maxillary Expander(7) and Transferring Apparatus(22)

Figure 3A: Sectional view of the Automatic Maxillary Expander Transferring

Apparatus(22)

Figure 3B: View of Automatic Maxillary Expander Transferring Apparatus(22) from the back perspective

Figure 3C: View of Automatic Maxillary Expander Transferring Apparatus(22) from the top perspective Figure 4: Sectional view of the mounted Automatic Maxillary Expander(7) and

Transferring Apparatus(22)

Figure 4A: Detailed sectional view of the mounted Automatic Maxillary Expander(7) and Transferring Apparatus(22) Figure 5 A: Sectional view of handhold(21) from the top and side perspective Figure 5B: View of fulcrum(8) from the top and side perspective

Figure 5C: View of crowbar arc(19) from the top and side perspective Figure 5D: View of crowbar(9) from the top and side perspective Figure 5E: Sectional view of creamier gear(14) from the top and side perspective Figure 5F: Sectional view of cradle(13) from the top and side perspective Figure 6A: Angular view of retentive arc(16) from the top and side perspective

Figure 6B: Angular view of gear(15) from the top and side perspective Figure 6C: Angular view of crowbar pin(lθ) from the top and side perspective Figure 6D: Angular view of cradle gear pin(l 1) from the top and side perspective Figure 6E: Angular view of arc pin(17) from the top and side perspective Figure 6F: Angular views of back stop(20) from the side perspective

Figure 6G: Angular views of cradle bolts(18) from the side perspective Figure 6H: Angular views of Retentive arc bolt(12) from the side perspective

Components of Automatic Maxillary Expander (7) and Transferring Apparatus(22) 1) Anterior notched column

2) Posterior notched column

3) Asymmetrical triangular prism shaped notched Spike

4) Carrier block

5) Geared co-axial screw 6) Stability shaft

7) Automatic Maxillary Expander

8) Fulcrum

9) Crowbar

10) Crowbar pin

11) Cradle gear pin

12) Retentive arc bolt

13) Cradle 14) Creamier gear

15) Gear

16) Retentive arc

17) Arc pin

18) Cradle bolts 19) Crowbar arc

20) Back stop

21) Handhold

22) Automatic Maxillary Expander Transferring Apparatus

Automatic Maxillary Expander Transferring Apparatus(22) enables the practitioner to place Automatic Maxillary Expander(7) into palatal surface with ease and precision. No current maxillary expander has such a transferring apparatus(22). This apparatus(22) enables the practitioner to place Automatic Maxillary Expander(7) in to the palate under local anesthesia in a very short time without any surgical operation. Thus, this Automatic Maxillary Expander(7), which is entirely different from the ones currently in use, has great advantage over them. In addition, this apparatus(22) is composed of a very simple mechanism. Automatic Maxillary Expander Transferring Apparatus(22) has been designed to help the practitioner to place Automatic Maxillary Expander(7) into palatal surface with ease and precision. Automatic Maxillary Expander Transferring Apparatus(22) has an elliptic sectional cylinder formed handhold(21), a.fulcrum(8) attached to it, a crowbar(9) attached to fulcrum(8) with a crowbar pin(lθ). The crowbar arc(19) is placed mutually between the crowbar(9) and handhold(21) with two arc pin(17). The cradle(13), which has a creamier gear(14), retentive arc(16), gear(15) and back stop(20) which is attached to the cradle(13) with solder, is fixed on to the handhold(21) with two cradle bolts(18). The retentive arc(16) is attached to the cradle(13) with a retentive arc bolt(12), and the gear(15) is attached to it with the help of a cradle gear pin(l l). The crowbar(9) and creamier gear(14) are attached to each other with a crowbar pin(lθ).