초록 ▼

A mandible extension dental device (10) is provided which includes adjustable upper and lower arch trays (12, 14) and coupling means (16) designed to pull the lower jaw of a user forwardly during sleep, so as to minimize snoring and mild apnea conditions. Each of the arch trays (12, 14) includes a s

A mandible extension dental device (10) is provided which includes adjustable upper and lower arch trays (12, 14) and coupling means (16) designed to pull the lower jaw of a user forwardly during sleep, so as to minimize snoring and mild apnea conditions. Each of the arch trays (12, 14) includes a substantially rigid synthetic body (18, 38) equipped with a pair of generally L-shaped, continuous adjustment slots (32, 34 and 46, 48). Thermoplastic molding material (36, 60) within each tray (12, 14) permits custom fitting of the trays (12, 14) to the upper and lower arches of a patient. During such fitting, the tray bodies (18, 38) are adjusted as necessary owing to the provision of the slots (32, 34 and 46, 48) to accommodate the arch configurations of the patient. Once the material (36, 60) hardens, the patient-specific arch configurations are permanently retained. The device (10) can be rapidly fitted in the field without the need for the services of a dentist. The coupling means (16) can be infinitely adjusted while the device (10) is in the patient's mouth, to insure the most comfortable fit consistent with lower jaw extension.

대표청구항 ▼

[ I claim:] [1.] An arch tray comprising:a generally U-shaped body presenting a base panel and a pair of spaced, opposed, marginal sidewall segments each having a respective outer margin spaced from said base panel, said base panel and sidewall segments cooperatively defining a tray region;a thermop

[ I claim:] [1.] An arch tray comprising:a generally U-shaped body presenting a base panel and a pair of spaced, opposed, marginal sidewall segments each having a respective outer margin spaced from said base panel, said base panel and sidewall segments cooperatively defining a tray region;a thermoplastic molding material within said tray region, said molding material being substantially rigid at room temperature but, upon heating thereof, becoming sufficiently soft and workable to allow molding of the material around a user's teeth with resetting and hardening of the molded material after cooling thereof,said body presenting an elongated adjustment slot therein oriented for permitting selective alteration of the arch configuration of said body when said molding material is heated, and subsequent setting of the body at an altered arch configuration upon said hardening of the molding material in order to allow use thereof with a variety of users having different arch dimensions, at least a portion of said slot being located in one of said sidewall segments.