Description:TECHNICAL FIELD
The present disclosure relates generally to a field of medical devices. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a device for maxillofacial rehabilitation and a method thereof.
BACKGROUND
Treating Trismus syndrome and other conditions involving restricted jaw movement posed significant challenges for both patients and healthcare providers. Traditional methods relied on rudimentary approaches, such as the insertion of sticks, like ice cream sticks, into the mouth of the patient. However, these methods presented several notable problems. The patients experienced a lot of discomfort and inconvenience, which often required them to an external assistance to adhere to exercise regimens. The process of gradually increasing the number of sticks over time was cumbersome and unpleasant for many patients, leading to poor adherence to treatment plans. One of the most significant drawbacks was the absence of a real-time feedback mechanism. Patients had no means of gauging their progress during exercises, leading to non-treatment of the trismus in the required time. Without feedback on their jaw movement, it was challenging for patients to track improvements or adjust their exercises accordingly. Additionally, patients lacked immediate means to alleviate pain during intense exercises. The absence of mechanisms to mitigate discomfort made it difficult for individuals to tolerate the necessary movements, hindering their ability to engage fully in their physiotherapy regimen. While mechanical devices with screw-based designs existed, they often lacked force feedback mechanisms and were made of plastic materials, rendering them unreliable and non-sterilizable, raising concerns about hygiene and durability. Moreover, traditional methods and available devices offered limited options for personalized treatment plans, overlooking individual differences in jaw mobility or pain tolerance. This lack of personalized care further compounded the challenges faced by patients. Access to specialized treatment options, such as mechanical devices, was often limited, particularly in underserved communities or regions with limited healthcare infrastructure. This lack of accessibility further exacerbated the challenges faced by patients seeking effective management of Trismus and related conditions. In summary, prior to recent innovations, treating Trismus and other conditions involving restricted jaw movement was characterized by discomfort, inconvenience, and limited effectiveness, highlighting the urgent need for more advanced and patient-centered solutions in oral physiotherapy.
Thus, there is a need for a system and a method capable of providing comfortable rehabilitation to patients, which demands a need for improvised technical solution that overcomes the aforementioned problems.
SUMMARY
Disclosed is a device for maxillofacial rehabilitation. The device includes a frame, an arm, an upper bracket, and a plurality of sensors. The frame is partially insertable into a mouth of a patient. The arm is coupled to the frame and adapted to facilitate an opening of a mouth of a patient. The upper bracket is coupled to the arm exhibits a first position and a second position, such that the upper bracket exhibits the first position when the arm exhibits a pressed state, and the upper bracket exhibits the second position when the arm exhibits the released state. The plurality of sensors are coupled to the arm and the frame, and configured to detect one or more parameters during the exercise.
In some aspects of the present disclosure, the plurality of sensors includes a pressure sensor, a displacement sensor, and a force sensor.
In some aspects of the present disclosure, the one or more parameters consist of (i) an extent to which the lever is displaced when the arm is pressed by the patient during the exercise, (ii) pressure exerted on the lever () by an upper jaw when the arm () is pressed (iii) number of times the lever () is pressed and released during the exercise.
In some aspects of the present disclosure, the upper bracket in the first position facilitates the opening of mouth of the patient and the upper bracket in the second position returns the mouth in the original position.
In some aspects of the present disclosure, the maxillofacial rehabilitation device further includes a lower bracket that is coupled to the frame, such that the lower bracket is adapted to support a lower jaw of the patient.
In an aspect of the present disclosure, the maxillofacial rehabilitation device further includes a plate that is adapted to guide a movement of the lever in a predetermined path.
In some aspects of the present disclosure, the maxillofacial rehabilitation device further includes a microcontroller that is coupled to the plurality of sensors and configured to transmit the readings of the plurality of sensors to the processing circuitry.
In an aspect of the present disclosure, a system for maxillofacial rehabilitation includes a maxillofacial rehabilitation device, processing circuitry and a user device. The device includes a frame, an arm, an upper bracket, and a plurality of sensors. The frame is partially insertable into a mouth of a patient. The arm is coupled to the frame and adapted to facilitate an opening of a mouth of a patient. The upper bracket is coupled to the arm exhibits a first position and a second position, such that the upper bracket exhibits the first position when the arm exhibits a pressed state, and the upper bracket exhibits the second position when the arm exhbits a released state. The processing circuitry is coupled to the maxillofacial rehabilitation device and configured to generate a first signal and a second signal and a user device that is couped to the processing circuitry configured to facilitate remote monitoring of the patient.
In some aspect of the present disclosure, a method is disclosed. The method begins with opening the patient's mouth using an arm. It proceeds by detecting one or more parameters of through a plurality of sensors, followed by collecting readings from the plurality of sensors via a microcontroller. Subsequently, it involves transmitting these readings from the plurality of sensors to an information processing apparatus via the microcontroller. Next, the method compares the readings with predefined ranges using processing circuitry, subsequently generating both a first and a second signal. Further steps include displaying media files of exercises on a user device and ultimately recommending these exercises through the same user device.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
The above and still further features and advantages of aspects of the present disclosure becomes apparent upon consideration of the following detailed description of aspects thereof, especially when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, and wherein:
FIG. 1A illustrates a block diagram of a system for maxillofacial rehabilitation, in accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure;
FIG. 1B illustrates a schematic view of a maxillofacial rehabilitation device of the system of the FIG.1, in accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure;
FIG. 2A illustrates a schematic view of an upper bracket of the maxillofacial rehabilitation device of the FIG. 1B, in accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure;
FIG. 2B illustrates a schematic view of an arm of the maxillofacial rehabilitation device of the FIG. 1B, in accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure; and
FIG. 3 illustrates a flow chart of a method for facilitation of exercises through the system 100 of FIG. 1A, in accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure.
To facilitate understanding, like reference numerals have been used, where possible, to designate like elements common to the figures.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Various aspect of the present disclosure provides a device for maxillofacial rehabilitation and a method thereof. The following description provides specific details of certain aspects of the disclosure illustrated in the drawings to provide a thorough understanding of those aspects. It should be recognized, however, that the present disclosure can be reflected in additional aspects and the disclosure may be practiced without some of the details in the following description.
The various aspects including the example aspects are now described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which the various aspects of the disclosure are shown. The disclosure may, however, be embodied in different forms and should not be construed as limited to the aspects set forth herein. Rather, these aspects are provided so that this disclosure is thorough and complete, and fully conveys the scope of the disclosure to those skilled in the art. In the drawings, the sizes of components may be exaggerated for clarity.
It is understood that when an element is referred to as being “on,” “connected to,” or “coupled to” another element, it can be directly on, connected to, or coupled to the other element or intervening elements that may be present. As used herein, the term “and/or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.
The subject matter of example aspects, as disclosed herein, is described with specificity to meet statutory requirements. However, the description itself is not intended to limit the scope of this patent. Rather, the inventor/inventors have contemplated that the claimed subject matter might also be embodied in other ways, to include different features or combinations of features similar to the ones described in this document, in conjunction with other technologies. Generally, the various aspects including the example aspects relate to a maxillofacial rehabilitation device and a method thereof.
As mentioned, there is a need for a device for maxillofacial rehabilitation. The present aspects, therefore: provides a device for maxillofacial rehabilitation and a method for the same.
The aspects herein and the various features and advantageous details thereof are explained more fully with reference to the non-limiting aspects that are illustrated in the accompanying drawings and detailed in the following description. Descriptions of well-known components and processing techniques are omitted so as to not unnecessarily obscure the aspects herein. The examples used herein are intended merely to facilitate an understanding of ways in which the aspects herein may be practiced and to further enable those of skill in the art to practice the aspects herein. Accordingly, the examples should not be construed as limiting the scope of the aspects herein.
FIG. 1A illustrates a block diagram of a system for maxillofacial rehabilitation (hereinafter referred to and denoted as the system 100). The system 100 may be an IoT (internet of things) enabled that may facilitate a remote monitoring of a patient by healthcare professionals. The system 100 may include a maxillofacial rehabilitation device 102 (hereinafter referred to and denoted as the device 102), an information processing apparatus 104, and a user device 106. The information processing apparatus 104 may include a database 134 and processing circuitry 136. The system 100 may facilitate remote and real-time monitoring of a patient. Also, the system 100 may facilitate the monitoring of the progress of the patient by the healthcare professionals.
The device 102, the information processing apparatus 104, and the user device 106 may be communicatively coupled to each other by way of a communication network 108.
In some aspects of the present disclosure, the communication network 108 may include, a Local Area Network (LAN) connection, a Wide Area Network (WAN), a wireless network, and a Virtual Private Network (VPN). Aspects of the present disclosure are intended to include and/or otherwise include all the connections, wired or wireless, that may facilitate the communication, without deviating from the scope of the present disclosure.
The device 102 may be adapted to provide a medical physiotherapy solution for trismus. As the device 102 is hand-held and self-operable, and may be manually used by a patient without the intervention of a health professional. The patient may perform mouth-opening exercises independently from the device 102. The device 102 may be incorporated with one or more sensing networks for remote monitoring of the patient’s progress. The device 102 may enable the patient to remove the device 102 when the patient experiences pain. The device 102 may be made up of stainless steel which may enable sterilization of the device 102. The device 102 may be reused by the patient. In other words, the device 102 once used by the patient may be reused again. The components of the device 102 may be removable and auto cleavable. Therefore, the device 102 may be used by multiple patients and may be reused.
In some aspects of the present disclosure, the device 102 may be made up of stainless steel. Preferable, the device 102 may be made up of stainless steel of grade 304, 306, 440, and 420. Aspects of the present disclosure are intended to include and/or otherwise include all the types of the medical grade stainless steel, without deviating from the scope of the present disclosure.
The device 102 may include a frame 110, a lower bracket 112, a lever 114, a upper bracket 116, an arm 118, a plate 120, a retractable spring 122, a plurality of sensors 124, a microcontroller 126. The plurality of sensors 124 may include a pressure sensor 128, a displacement sensor 130, and a force sensor 132.
The device 102 may include a frame 110, a lower bracket 112, a lever 114, an upper bracket 116, an arm 118, a plate 120, a retractable spring 122, a plurality of sensors 124, a pressure sensor 128, a displacement sensor 130, a force sensor 132, a microcontroller 126, an information processing apparatus 104, a database 134, processing circuitry 136 and a user device 106. The lower bracket 112 may be adapted to support a lower jaw of the patient and the upper bracket 116 may be adapted to move the upper jaw. In other words, the upper jaw of the patient is moved in rehabilitation exercise. However, this may also be achieved by moving the lower jaw in the exercises, in another aspect of the present disclosure.
The frame 110 may be adapted to be partially inserted into the mouth of the patient. Specifically, the frame 110 may be adapted to be partially inserted into the mouth of the patient to facilitate the exercise of the mouth. The lower bracket 112 may be fixed to a lower portion of the frame 110. The lower bracket 112 may include threaded portions which may facilitate the insertion of the lower bracket 112 into the frame 110 so that the lower bracket 112 may be fixed to the frame 110. The frame 110 may include grooves to receive the threaded portions of the lower bracket 112. The lower bracket 112 may be configured to support the lower jaw of the patient.
In some aspects of the present disclosure, the lower bracket 112 may also be fixed to the lower portion of the frame 110 by way of, but not limited to welding, clamping, a snap-fit, and a plurality of fasteners. Aspects of the present disclosure are intended to include and/or otherwise include all the mechanisms by which the upper bracket may be fixed to the frame, without deviating from the scope of the present disclosure.
In some aspects of the present disclosure, the threaded portions on the lower bracket 112 may be fixed at a posterior portion of the lower bracket 112. This arrangement of the threaded portion on the lower bracket 112 may ensure that when the lower bracket 112 is inserted into the grooves that may be present on the lower portion of the frame 110, the threaded portions of the lower bracket 112 may align with the grooves of the frame 110 which may facilitate the secure attachment and alignment of the lower bracket 112 on the frame 110.
In some aspects of the present disclosure, the lower bracket 112 and the upper bracket 116 may be interchangeable in the device. In simpler words, the lower bracket 112 may work as an upper bracket 116 and the lower bracket 116 may work as the lower bracket 112.
The lever 114 may be coupled to the frame 110. The lever 114 may include the upper bracket 116. The upper bracket 116 may be fixed to the upper portion of the lever 114. The upper bracket 116 may include the threaded portions which may be inserted into the grooves that may be present on the upper portion of the lever 114. The upper bracket 116 may be adapted to exhibit a first position and a second position. Specifically, the upper bracket 116 may be adapted to exhibit the first position when the arm 118 may exhibits the pressed state and the upper bracket 116 may exhibit the second position when the arm 118 may be released from the first state. The upper bracket 116 in the first position may facilitate the opening of the mouth of the patient and the upper bracket 116 in the second position may return the mouth of the patient in original position. The original position of the mouth may be the position of the mouth prior to any manipulation or an exercise.
In some aspects of the present disclosure, the upper bracket 116 may also be fixed to the lever 114 by way of, but not limited to the welding, the clamping, the snap-fit, and the plurality fasteners. Aspects of the present disclosure are intended to include and/or otherwise include all the mechanisms by which the upper bracket may be fixed to the frame, without deviating from the scope of the present disclosure.
In some aspects of the present disclosure, the threaded portions on the upper bracket 116 may be fixed at the rear of the upper bracket 116. This arrangement of the threaded portion on the upper bracket 116 may ensure that when the upper bracket 116 is inserted into the grooves that may be present on the upper portion of the lever 114, the threaded portions of the upper bracket 116 may align with the grooves of the lever 114 which may facilitate the secure attachment and alignment of the upper bracket 116 on the lever 114.
In some aspects of the present disclosure, the lever 114 may possess a hollow middle portion. Specifically, the lever 114 may possess the hollow middle portion which may facilitate the passage of the threaded portion of the upper bracket 116 into the frame 110, such that the lever 114 moves over the junction of the upper bracket 116 and the frame 110. In other words, during the process of attaching the upper bracket 116 to the frame 110, the threaded portions of the upper bracket 116 may be threaded through the hollow part of the lever 114.
The arm 118 may be coupled to the lever 114. The arm 118 facilitates the movement of the lever 114 in vertical direction. Specifically, the arm 118 may facilitate the movement of the lever 114 in the upward direction and downward direction. The arm 118 may facilitate the movement of the lever 114 in an upward direction when the arm 118 exhibits the pressed state and the arm 118 may facilitate the movement of the lever 114 in a downward direction when the arm 118 exhibits a released state.
In some aspects of the present disclosure, the arm 118 may be coupled to the lever 114 by way of, but not limited to a pin, a screw, the plurality of fasteners, a welding and by a clamp. Aspects of the present disclosure are intended to include and/or otherwise include all the ways that may facilitate the connection of the arm to the lever, without deviating from the scope of the present disclosure.
The plate 120 may be fixed inside the frame 110. The plate 120 may be adapted to guide the movement of the lever 114. Specifically, the plate 120 may be adapted to guide the movement of the lever 114 in a predetermined path minimizing the risk of deviation or misalignment that could compromise the therapeutic outcome.
In some aspects of the present disclosure, the lever 114 may be fixed to the plate 120 by way of, but not limited to, one or more rollers, spring-loaded attachments, pins and tracks, and slots or channels. Aspects of the present disclosure are intended to include and/or otherwise include all the ways of attached by which the lever 114 may be slide over the plate 120, without deviating from the scope of the present disclosure.
The arm 118 may be fixed to the rear side of the frame 110. Specifically, the arm 118 may be fixed to the rear side of the frame 110. The arm 118 may be designed to be pressed or released. Specifically, the arm 118 may be designed to exhibit the first state and the second state.
The arm 118 may be fixed to the rear side of the frame 110 by way of the retractable spring 122. The retractable spring 122 may be capable of retracting the arm 118 back to its initial position once the arm 118 is released from being pressed.
The plurality of sensors 124 may be coupled to the lever 114. The plurality of sensors 124 may be configured to measure the one or more parameters during the exercise. The one or more parameters may include a jaw extension, pressure exerted by the jaw against the first and the lower brackets 104 and 108, and the number of repetitions that may be made by the patient for opening the mouth. Specifically, the one or more parameters may include the extension of the jaw of the patient when the lever 114 is displaced by the action of the arm when pressed by the patient during the exercise, (ii) pressure exerted by the jaw of the patient or the pressure exerted on the lever 114 by the upper jaw of the patient when the arm 118 is pressed (iii) number or repetitions that may be made or the number of times the lever 114 is pressed and released during the exercise.
The pressure sensor 128 may be fixed to the arm 118. The pressure sensor 128 may be configured to measure the jaw load that may be exerted during the opening of the mouth of the patient. In other words, the pressure sensor 128 may be configured to measure the pressure that may be exerted by the arm 118 during the opening of the mouth of the patient. The pressure exerted on the arm 118 may be the pressure that may be applied by the patient in order to open the mouth.
The displacement sensor 130 (or a potentiometer) may be fixed to the rear end of the arm 118. The displacement sensor 130 may be configured to measure the extent of the opening of the mouth of the patient. In other words, the displacement sensor 130 may be configured to detect the distance between the lower bracket 112 and the upper bracket 116 during the opening of the mouth of the patient. The force sensor 132 may be present on the upper bracket 116. The force sensor 132 may be configured to measure the pressure exerted by the upper jaw on the upper bracket 116 based on which the number of times the exercise may be performed by the patient may be evaluated by the microcontroller 126.
In some aspects of the present, the arm 118 may be fixed to the rear side of the frame 110 by way of, but not limited to, a rod, the pin, an electric motor, and a gear mechanism. Aspects of the present disclosure may be intended to include and/or otherwise include all the ways of connection of the arm 118 to the frame 110 in way that the arm 118 may be able to rotate, without deviating from the scope of the present disclosure.
The microcontroller 126 may be coupled to the plurality of sensors 124. The microcontroller 126 may be configured to collect the readings from the plurality of sensors 124. Specifically, the microcontroller 126 may be configured to collect the readings from the pressure sensor 128, the displacement sensor 130 and the force sensor 132. The microcontroller 126 may be configured to transfer the readings from the plurality of sensors 124 to the information processing apparatus 104.
In some aspects of the present disclosure, the microcontroller 126 may transfer the readings of the plurality of sensors 124 to the information processing apparatus 104 by way of a, but not limited to, a Bluetooth, a Wi-Fi, an ethernet, UART (Universal Asynchronous Receiver-Transmitter), and SPI (Serial Peripheral Interface). Aspects of the present disclosure are intended to include and/or otherwise include all type of communication ways through the microcontroller may transmit the readings to the information processing apparatus, without deviating from the scope of the present disclosure.
The information processing apparatus 104 may be coupled to the device 102. The information processing apparatus 104 may include the database 134 and the processing circuitry 136. The database 134 may be configured to store one or more readings of the plurality of sensors 124 that may be obtained from the microcontroller 126. The one or more readings that may be stored in the database 134 may be present in a structured format such as tables, rows, and columns for analysis and querying purposes. The database 134 may be configured to store one or more predefined ranges that may be associated with each sensor of the plurality of sensors 124. The database 134 may be configured to store the one or more media files of the one or more exercises. The one or more media files may be a video, a set of images, diagrammatic instructions, textual instructions, or any combination thereof.
The processing circuitry 136 may be coupled to the database 134. The processing circuitry 136 may be configured to compare the one or more readings by each sensor of the plurality of sensors 124 with the predefined range. Based on the comparison, the processing circuitry 136 may be configured to generate a first signal and a second signal. Specifically, the processing circuitry 136 may be configured to generate the first signal if the one or more readings by each sensor of the plurality of sensors 124 may lie in the predefined range, and the processing 136 may generate the second signal if the one or more readings by each sensor of the plurality of sensors 124 may exceed the predefined range. Upon generation of the first signal, the one or more media files corresponding to the predefined range that may be associated with the one or more readings of the plurality of sensors 124 may be fetched and transmitted to the user device 106, and upon generation of the second signal, the healthcare professional may be alerted to recommend the patient one or more suggestion based on the one or more readings of the plurality of sensors 124 that may be shared with the healthcare professional. The processing circuitry 136 may be further configured to recognize the change in the one or more readings along with the timestamp.
The user device 106 may be coupled to the information processing apparatus 104. The user device 106 may be configured to facilitate the patient to monitor their rehabilitation progress in real-time by displaying the one or more readings of the plurality of sensors 124. The user device 106 may be further configured to facilitate communication between patient and their healthcare providers, allowing patients to share their rehabilitation data to the healthcare professionals and receive feedback remotely from them. This enables healthcare providers to remotely monitor the progress, suggest one or more exercises based on the one or more readings of the plurality of sensors 124, make informed adjustments to treatment plans, and provide guidance or support as needed. The user device 106 may facilitate the patient to view the one or more exercises that may be associated with the maxillofacial training.
The user device 106 may include a registration console (not shown), through which the patient may register itself. The one or more readings from the plurality of sensors 124 may be recorded or stored in the database 134 corresponding to the registered patient.
In some aspects of the present disclosure, the healthcare professional may be selected by way of, an mobile application, a manual entry, a search function, saved favorites, referral networks, geolocation services, integrated directories, appointment platforms, and recommendation algorithms. Aspects of the present disclosure are intended to include and/or otherwise include all the ways through which the medical professional may be connected to the user device, without deviating from the aspect of the present disclosure.
In some aspects of the present disclosure, the user device 106 may include, any one of a mobile, a computer, a laptop, an augmented reality device, and a virtual reality device. Aspects of the present disclosure are intended to include and/or otherwise include all the user devices through which the patient may receive the information related to the trismus, without deviating from the scope of the present disclosure. The healthcare professionals may be able to remotely monitor the condition of the patient based on the one or more readings that may be transmitted continuously to the healthcare professionals.
In operation, the device 102 may be inserted into the mouth of the patient. Specifically, the device 102 may be inserted into the mouth of the patient to perform the one or more exercises to for mouth opening. Upon insertion, the lower bracket 112 may support the lower jaw of the patient and the lower bracket 112 may support the upper jaw of the patient. Once the device 102 may be inserted into the mouth, the patient may press the arm 118 to facilitate the movement of the upper bracket 116. The movement of the lower bracket 112 may facilitate the movement of the upper jaw of the patient. The patient may open the mouth to any extent until the patient may feel the pain. upon feeling of the pain, the patient may release the arm 118. Upon releasing the arm 118, the upper bracket 116 may return to the original position. The movement of the upper bracket 116 may be guided by the plate 120. The plate 120 may prevent the misalignment of the upper bracket 116 during the movement. The device 102 may include the plurality of sensors 124 that may be configured to sense the one or more parameters during performing the exercise. Specifically, The device 102 may include the plurality of sensors 124 that may be configured to sense the one or more parameters during performing the exercise of the mouth.
The plurality of sensors 124 may include the pressure sensor 128, the displacement sensor 130, and the force sensor 132. The one or more readings from the plurality of sensors 124 may be transmitted to the microcontroller 126. The microcontroller 126 may be configured to receive an analog signal and a digital signal in a raw form from the plurality of sensors 124. The microcontroller 126 may be further configured to process the raw sensor data by applying filters and compensating the sensor biases. The microcontroller 126 may facilitate the communication with the information processing apparatus 104. The data from the microcontroller 126 may be stored in the database 134 for future retrieval and analysis. The processing circuitry 136 may be configured to handle the data received from the microcontroller 126. The processing circuitry 136 may be configured to handle the data that may be received from the microcontroller 126 by parsing the data that may be received from the microcontroller 126. For example, the readings of the microcontroller may be converted or parsed into the numerical values along with timestamps. The data from the processing circuitry 136 may then be transferred to the user device 106. The user device 106 may facilitate the patient to monitor the data. Also, the data from the processing circuitry 136 may be transferred to the healthcare professional based on which they may suggest exercises to the patient.
In an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure, the database 134 may serve as a repository for predefined ranges specific to each sensor integrated into the plurality of sensors 124. When the processing circuitry 136 receives numerical data from these sensors, it immediately initiates a comparison with these preset ranges. If the data falls within one of these predefined ranges, the user device 106 may be promptly configured to showcase a tailored set of exercises corresponding to that specific range. On the other hand, should the numerical value surpass the predetermined thresholds or deviate from the predefined ranges, an automatic alert mechanism is triggered. This alert promptly notifies either a healthcare practitioner or a designated healthcare professional, ensuring timely intervention and attention to the detected anomaly. The exercises then suggested by the healthcare professional may be displayed to the user via the user device 106.
FIG. 1B illustrates a schematic view of the maxillofacial rehabilitation device of the system 100 of FIG.1, in accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure.
The device 102 may include a pair of walls 142. Specifically, the device 102 may include a first wall 142a and a second wall 142b. The first wall 142a and the second wall 142b may be fixed to the frame 110 in a direction opposite to each other. The first wall 142a and the second wall 142b may be fixed to the frame 110 by way of a plurality of screws. The pair of walls 142 may provide the structural support to the device 102. The pair of walls 142 may be further adapted to provide the grip to the device so that the patient may securely hold the device 102 while performing the one or more exercises. Furthermore, the pair of the walls 142 may facilitate the heat dissipation through the surface of the walls so that excessive heating of the device 102 may be prevented.
In operation, the patient may begin by positioning the frame 110 partially into the mouth, ensuring comfort and proper fit. The patient may then secure the lower bracket 112 to support the lower jaw. Once the device 102 may be securely in place, the patient may engage in mouth opening exercises by pressing the arm 118 upward. This action may facilitate the movement of the lever 114, facilitating the opening of the mouth. As the patient perform the exercises, the plurality of sensors 124 may be configured to continuously monitor the parameters such as jaw extension, pressure exerted by the jaw, and the number of repetitions completed. This real-time feedback may track the progress of the patient.
FIG. 2a illustrates a schematic view of the upper bracket 116 of maxillofacial rehabilitation device 102 of the FIG. 1B, in accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure.
The upper bracket 116 may be fixed to the upper portion of the lever 114. The upper bracket 116 may include the threaded portions which may be inserted into the grooves that may be present on the upper portion of the lever 114. The upper bracket 116 may be adapted to exhibit the first position and the second position. Specifically, the upper bracket 116 may be adapted to exhibit the first position when the arm 118 may be pressed and the upper bracket 116 may exhibit the second position when the arm 118 may be released from the first position. The upper bracket 116 in the first position may facilitate the opening of the mouth of the patient and the upper bracket 116 in the second position may return the mouth of the patient in original position. The original position of the mouth may be the position of the mouth prior to any manipulation or an exercise.
In some aspects of the present disclosure, the upper bracket 116 may also be fixed to the lever 114 by way of, but not limited to, the welding, the clamping, the snap-fit, and the plurality fasteners. Aspects of the present disclosure are intended to include and/or otherwise include all the mechanisms by which the upper bracket may be fixed to the frame, without deviating from the scope of the present disclosure.
In some aspects of the present disclosure, the threaded portions on the upper bracket 116 may be fixed at the rear of the upper bracket 116. This arrangement of the threaded portion on the upper bracket 116 may ensure that when the upper bracket 116 is inserted into the grooves that may be present on the upper portion of the lever 114, the threaded portions of the upper bracket 116 may align with the grooves of the lever 114 which may facilitate the secure attachment and alignment of the upper bracket 116 on the lever 114.
FIG. 2B illustrates a schematic view of the arm 118 of the maxillofacial rehabilitation device 102, in accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure.
The device 102 may facilitate the opening of the mouth of the patient. The lower jaw of the patient may be supported by the lower bracket 112 and the upper jaw of the patient may be supported by the upper bracket 116. The movement of the upper bracket 116 may facilitate the opening of the mouth of the patient. To facilitate the movement of the upper bracket 116 the arm 118 may be moved by the hand of the patient. The arm 118 may be pressed or released, such that when the arm 118 may be pressed the upper bracket 116 may be moved upwards and when the arm 118 may be released the upper bracket 116 may be moved downwards. When the arm 118 may be moved upwards, the mouth of the patient is opened and the when the upper bracket 116 may be moved downwards the mouth of the patient may be returned to the original position.
The arm 118 The circular portion with teeth 210 at the rear end of the arm 118 may enable engagement with a corresponding mechanism, such as a gear or cogwheel, facilitating a controlled movement. The displacement sensor 130, positioned within the side wall of the arm 118, measures the extent of movement as the arm is pressed to facilitate the movement of the upper bracket. As the arm 118 moves, the displacement sensor 130 detects changes in the position of the circular portion with teeth, allowing for precise measurement of displacement.
FIG. 3 illustrates a flow chart of a method 200 for facilitation of exercises through a system 100, in accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure. The method 200 may include following steps: -
At step 302, the device 102 may be adapted to facilitate the opening of the mouth of the patient. Specifically, the maxillofacial rehabilitation device 102 may be adapted to facilitate the opening of the mouth of the patient by way of the arm 118. When the patient may press the arm 118, the force that is applied to the arm 118 may be transferred to the lever 114 which may facilitate the movement of the upper bracket 116. The upper bracket 116 may be adapted to exhibit the first position and the second position. Specifically, the upper bracket 116 may be adapted to exhibit the first position when the arm 118 may be pressed and the upper bracket 116 may exhibit the second position when the arm 118 may be released.
At step 304, the device 102 may be adapted to detect the one or more parameters. Specifically, the maxillofacial device 102 may be adapted to detect the one or more parameters by way of the plurality of sensors 124. The one or more parameters may include, the jaw extension, the pressure exerted against the movement of the jaw, and the number of repetitions.
At step 306, the maxillofacial rehabilitation device 102 may be configured to collect the one or more readings of the plurality of sensors 124. Specifically, the maxillofacial rehabilitation device 102 may be configured to collect the one or more readings of the plurality of sensors 124 by way of the microcontroller 126.
At step 308, the maxillofacial rehabilitation device 102 may be configured to transmit the one or more readings of the plurality of sensors 124 to the information processing apparatus 104. Specifically, the maxillofacial rehabilitation device 102 may be configured to transmit the one or more readings of the plurality of sensors 124 to the information processing apparatus 104 by way of the microcontroller 126.
At step 310, the maxillofacial rehabilitation device 102 may be configured to compare the one or more readings of the plurality of sensors 124 with the one or more predefined ranges. Specifically, the maxillofacial rehabilitation device 102 may be configured to compare the one or more readings of the plurality of sensors 124 with the one or more predefined ranges that may be stored in the database 134 by way of the processing circuitry 136.
At step 312, the maxillofacial rehabilitation device 102 may be configured to generate the first signal and the second signal. Specifically, the system 100 may be configured to generate the first signal and the second signal by way of the processing circuitry 136. The processing circuitry 136 may be configured to generate the first signal if one or more readings by each sensor of the plurality of sensors 124 may lie in the predefined range, and the processing 136 may generate the second signal if the one or more readings by each sensor of the plurality of sensors 124 may exceed the predefined range. Upon generation of the first signal, the one or more media files corresponding to the predefined range that may be associated with the one or more readings of the plurality of sensors may be fetched and transmitted to the user device 106, and upon generation of the second signal, the healthcare professional may be alerted and the one or more readings of the plurality of sensors 124 may be shared with the healthcare professional.
At step 314, the maxillofacial rehabilitation device 102 may be configured to display the one or more media files of the one or more exercises that may be stored in the database 134. Specifically, the user device 106 may be configured to view the one or more media files of the one or more exercises that may be stored in the database 134 upon generation of the first signal.
At step 316, the maxillofacial rehabilitation device 102 may be configured to alert the medical professional to recommend the patient with the one or more suggestions or exercises based on the one or more readings. Specifically, the processing circuitry 136 may be configured to alert the medical professional to recommend the patient with the one or more suggestions or exercises based on the one or more readings. The recommendation may be displayed through the user device 106.
In some aspects of the present disclosure, the user device 106 may include, any one of, the mobile, the computer, the laptop, the augmented reality device, and the virtual reality device. Aspects of the present disclosure are intended to include and/or otherwise include all the user devices through which the patient may receive the information related to the trismus, without deviating from the scope of the present disclosure. The healthcare professionals may be able to remotely monitor the condition of the patient based on the readings that may be transmitted continuously to the healthcare professionals.
The foregoing discussion of the present disclosure has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to limit the present disclosure to the form or forms disclosed herein. In the foregoing Detailed Description, for example, various features of the present disclosure are grouped together in one or more aspects, configurations, or aspects for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure. The features of the aspects, configurations, or aspects may be combined in alternate aspects, configurations, or aspects other than those discussed above. This method of disclosure is not to be interpreted as reflecting an intention the present disclosure requires more features than are expressly recited in each claim. Rather, as the following claims reflect, inventive aspects lie in less than all features of a single foregoing disclosed aspect, configuration, or aspect. Thus, the following claims are hereby incorporated into this Detailed Description, with each claim standing on its own as a separate aspect of the present disclosure.
Moreover, though the description of the present disclosure has included description of one or more aspects, configurations, or aspects and certain variations and modifications, other variations, combinations, and modifications are within the scope of the present disclosure, e.g., as may be within the skill and knowledge of those in the art, after understanding the present disclosure. It is intended to obtain rights which include alternative aspects, configurations, or aspects to the extent permitted, including alternate, interchangeable and/or equivalent structures, functions, ranges or steps to those claimed, whether or not such alternate, interchangeable and/or equivalent structures, functions, ranges or steps are disclosed herein, and without intending to publicly dedicate any patentable subject matter. ,
Claims:1. A maxillofacial rehabilitation device (102) comprising:
a frame (110) partially insertable into a mouth of a patient;
an arm (118) coupled to the frame (110) exhibits a pressed state and a released state, and configured to facilitate an exercise of the mouth;
an upper bracket (116) coupled to the arm (118), and exhibits a first position and a second position such that the upper bracket (116) exhibits the first position when the arm (118) exhibits the pressed state, and the upper bracket (116) exhibits the second position when the arm (118) exhibits the released state; and
a plurality of sensors (124) coupled to the arm (118) and the frame (110), and configured to detect one or more parameters during the exercise.

2. The maxillofacial rehabilitation device (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plurality of sensors (124) comprises a pressure sensor (128), a displacement sensor (130), and a force sensor (132).

3. The maxillofacial rehabilitation device (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the one or more parameters comprising (i) an extent to which the lever (114) is displaced when the arm (118) is pressed by the patient during the exercise, (ii) pressure exerted on the lever (114) by an upper jaw of the patient when the arm (118) is pressed and (iii) number of times the lever (114) is pressed and released during the exercise.

4. The maxillofacial rehabilitation device (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the upper bracket (116) in the first position facilitates the opening of the mouth of the patient and the upper bracket (116) in the second position facilitates return of the mouth in an original position.
5. The maxillofacial rehabilitation device (100) as claimed in claim 1, further comprises a lower bracket (112) that is coupled to the frame (110), and adapted to support a lower jaw of the patient.

6. The maxillofacial rehabilitation device (100) as claimed in claim 1, further comprises a plate (120) that is adapted to guide movement of the lever (114) in a predetermined path.

7. A system (100) for maxillofacial rehabilitation comprising:
a maxillofacial rehabilitation device (102) comprising:
a frame (110) partially insertable into a mouth of a patient;
an arm (118) coupled to the frame (110) exhibits a pressed state and a released state and configured to facilitate an exercise of the mouth;
an upper bracket (116) coupled to the arm (118), and exhibits a first position and a second position such that the upper bracket (116) exhibits the first position when the arm (118) exhibits the pressed state, and the upper bracket (116) exhibits the second position when the arm (118) exhibits the released state;
a plurality of sensors (124) coupled to the arm (118) and the frame (110), and configured to detect one or more parameters during the exercise;
processing circuitry (136) coupled to the maxillofacial rehabilitation device (102) and configured to generate a first signal and a second signal; and
a user device (106) coupled to the processing circuitry (136) configured to facilitate remote monitoring of the patient.

8. A method (300) comprising:
opening (302), by way of an arm (110), a mouth of a patient;
detect (304), by way of a plurality of sensors (124), one or more parameters;
collect (306), by way of a microcontroller (126), one or more readings of the plurality of sensors (124);
transmit (308), by way of the microcontroller (126), the one or more readings of the plurality of sensors (124) to an information processing apparatus (104);
compare (310), by way of processing circuitry (136), the one or more readings with one or more predefined ranges;
generate (312), by way of the processing circuitry (136), a first signal and a second signal;
display (314), by way of a user device (106) coupled to the processing circuitry (136), one or more media files of the one or more exercises;
recommend (316), by way of the user device (106), the one or more exercises.