Systems for manufacturing oral-based hearing aid appliances

Abstract

Systems for manufacturing oral-based bearing aid appliances utilizing various manufacturing methods and apparatus are described herein. The oral appliance may have an electronic and/or transducer assembly for receiving incoming sounds and transmitting processed sounds via a vibrating transducer element coupled to a tooth or teeth. The oral appliance may be formed or fabricated via three-dimensional digital scanning systems or via impression molding to create a housing for the electronics and/or transducer assembly as well as to securely conform the appliance to the user's dentition.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for fabricating an oral appliance for maintaining an electronics and/or transducer assembly against at least a portion of a patient's dentition, comprising:
 providing a dental tray sized to cover at least the portion of the patient's dentition, wherein the dental tray defines a housing for the electronics and/or transducer assembly;   filling a channel defined along the dental tray with a settable polymer;   placing at least the portion of the patient's dentition within the channel such that the polymer conforms to a shape of the dentition until the polymer hardens; and   removing the dental tray from the hardened polymer.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising trimming the hardened polymer. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein providing comprises providing the dental tray having the electronics and/or transducer assembly contained within the housing. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3  wherein filling comprises filling the channel via a dispenser such that the electronics and/or transducer assembly is at least partially encapsulated by the polymer within the housing. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein placing further comprises activating the polymer such that the polymer hardens. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising attaching the electronics and/or transducer assembly to the hardened polymer within the housing. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising forming a scaffold using a rapid prototyping system. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7  wherein the rapid prototyping system comprises one of: fused deposition modeling system, selective laser sintering system, 3-D printing system, inkjet printing system. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7  comprising coating the scaffold with a resin to strengthen the scaffold. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the hardened polymer defines a tooth engaging channel configured for placement upon a lingual and an apposed buccal surface of the dentition. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the housing for the electronics and/or transducer assembly is positioned along the buccal surface.