초록 ▼

A dental device has a U-shaped carrier with at least one channel for embracing an arch of teeth. The carrier has recessed insets in the channel. Discrete inserts carrying a beneficial agent can fit into the insets and release the agent gradually. The device may be used in a therapeutic application a

A dental device has a U-shaped carrier with at least one channel for embracing an arch of teeth. The carrier has recessed insets in the channel. Discrete inserts carrying a beneficial agent can fit into the insets and release the agent gradually. The device may be used in a therapeutic application and as an athletic mouthguard. Temporary blanks may be initially fitted in the insets while a portion of the mouthguard is softened before an arch of teeth is pressed into the channel to make a custom impression. The inserts possess different physical properties than the carrier and may be positioned and shaped to mechanically buffer teeth of the arch from mechanical shocks as well as release beneficial agents. The inserts may be replaced or refreshed to maintain the beneficial agent. A dental device having a core carrying a beneficial agent inside a liquid-permeable shell functions as an infant's teething device.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A dental device for mechanically buffering an arch of teeth from mechanical force comprising: a U-shaped carrier having at least one channel for embracing the arch of teeth, said carrier having at least one recessed inset, wherein said inset has an open end along a surface of said carrier adjacen

1. A dental device for mechanically buffering an arch of teeth from mechanical force comprising: a U-shaped carrier having at least one channel for embracing the arch of teeth, said carrier having at least one recessed inset, wherein said inset has an open end along a surface of said carrier adjacent to said inset; andat least one insert adapted to be received within said inset, said insert being removable from said carrier, wherein, when said insert is received within said inset, said insert has an exposed surface along said open end of said inset, said exposed surface being substantially flush with said surface of said carrier adjacent to said inset, and wherein said insert has mechanical force distribution and dissipation properties. 2. The dental device of claim 1, wherein the U-shaped carrier includes a buccal/labial portion, a lingual/palatal portion, and an occlusal/incisal portion connecting the lingual/palatal and buccal/labial portions and being disposed therebetween. 3. The dental device of claim 2, wherein said at least one recessed inset is located within the buccal/labial portion of the carrier. 4. The dental device of claim 3 wherein said buccal/labial portion has an upstanding portion and a free edge, said open end of said inset being located along said upstanding portion. 5. The dental device of claim 4 wherein said upstanding portion of said buccal/labial portion includes a facial surface and a lingual surface, and wherein said open end of said inset is located in said lingual surface. 6. The dental device of claim 1 wherein said insert is adapted to detachably lock within said inset. 7. The dental device of claim 6 wherein said insert has a beveled edge and said inset is undercut to lock onto said beveled edge to lock said insert in position. 8. The dental device of claim 6 wherein said insert is adapted to detachably lock within said inset by a snap-in lock. 9. The dental device of claim 1, wherein said insert comprises a hydrogel. 10. The dental device of claim 9 wherein said beneficial agent comprises a flavoring agent. 11. The dental device of claim 1 further including a beneficial agent suffused through at least one of at least a portion of said carrier or said insert. 12. The dental device of claim 1, wherein said insert is positioned to extend occlusally and incisally from a line approximating the cervical margins of the teeth of a normal dental arch. 13. The dental device of claim 1, wherein the carrier has more than one removable insert. 14. The dental device of claim 1, wherein said insert extends from a position of the wearer's left canine to the wearer's right canine. 15. The dental device of claim 1, wherein said insert carries a beneficial agent. 16. The dental device of claim 1, wherein said at least one recessed inset comprises a plurality of recessed insets, andwherein said at least one insert comprises a plurality of discrete inserts adapted to fit into respective ones of said plurality of insets, each of said inserts being separately removable from its respective inset. 17. The dental device of claim 1 wherein said insert comprises pullulan. 18. A dental device comprising: a U-shaped carrier having at least one channel for embracing an arch of teeth, said carrier having at least one recessed inset, wherein said inset has an open end along a surface of said carrier adjacent to said inset; andat least one discrete insert adapted to fit into said inset, said insert being removable from said carrier, wherein, when said insert is fit into said inset, said insert has an exposed surface along said open end of said inset, said exposed surface being substantially flush with said surface of said carrier adjacent to said inset;wherein said insert comprises a shock absorbing body for absorbing shock from physical contact therewith. 19. The dental device of claim 18 wherein said insert carries a beneficial agent. 20. The dental device of claim 19 wherein said beneficial agent is xylitol, a remineralizing agent, a moisturizing agent, a desensitizing agent, a flavoring agent, a breath freshener, a chemical or biological indicator, a nutraceutical, a chemotherapeutic, an antibiotic, or a probiotic. 21. The dental device of claim 18 wherein said insert has a beveled edge and said inset is undercut to lock onto said beveled edge and hold said insert in position. 22. The dental device of claim 18 wherein said insert is positioned to extend occlusally and incisally from a line approximating the cervical margins of the teeth of a normal dental arch. 23. The dental device of claim 18 wherein said U-shaped carrier has more than one recessed inset. 24. The dental device of claim 18 wherein said insert extends from a position of the wearer's left canine to the wearer's right canine. 25. The dental device of claim 18 wherein said insert comprises a hydrogel. 26. The dental device of claim 18 wherein said channel has a buccal/labial surface and said insert is located on said buccal/labial surface. 27. The dental device of claim 18 wherein said channel is bound by a buccal/labial wall, a lingual/palatal wall, and an occlusal/incisal wall therebetween, said buccal/labial wall having an upstanding portion extending from said occlusal/incisal wall and a free edge spaced apart from said occlusal/incisal wall; and wherein said open end of said inset is located along said upstanding portion of said buccal/labial wall. 28. The dental device of claim 27, wherein said upstanding portion of said buccal/labial wall includes a facial surface and a lingual surface, and wherein said open end of said inset is located in said lingual surface. 29. The dental device of claim 18 wherein said insert is adapted to detachably lock within said inset. 30. The dental device of claim 18 wherein said insert comprises pullulan. 31. A method for protecting an arch of teeth by absorbing shock from mechanical impact comprising: providing a carrier having at least one recessed inset, wherein said inset has an open end along a surface of said carrier adjacent to said inset, wherein the carrier embraces said arch of teeth; andproviding an insert adapted to fit into the inset, said insert being removable from said carrier, wherein an exposed surface of said insert along said open end of said inset is substantially flush with said surface of said carrier adjacent to said inset when said insert is fit into the inset, and wherein mechanical impact applied to said carrier is absorbed by said insert fit in the inset. 32. The method of claim 31 wherein said insert has a beveled edge and said inset is undercut to lock onto said beveled edge and hold said insert in position. 33. The method of claim 31 wherein said carrier has a buccal/labial portion and said insert is located in said buccal/labial portion. 34. The method of claim 31 wherein said carrier has more than one recessed inset. 35. The method of claim 31 wherein said insert extends from a position of the wearer's left canine to the wearer's right canine. 36. The method of claim 31 wherein said insert comprises pullulan. 37. A method of making a dental device adapted to protect an arch of teeth from mechanical force comprising: forming a carrier having at least one recessed inset, wherein said inset has an open end along a surface of said carrier adjacent to said inset, wherein the carrier embraces said arch of teeth; andproviding an insert adapted to fit into the inset, said insert being removable from said carrier, wherein an exposed surface of said insert along said open end of said inset is substantially flush with said surface of said carrier adjacent to said inset when said insert is fit into the inset, and wherein said insert fit in the inset is adapted to absorb mechanical force applied thereto. 38. A dental device for mechanically buffering an arch of teeth from mechanical force comprising: a U-shaped carrier having at least one channel for embracing the arch of teeth, said carrier having a buccal/labial portion; andan insert adapted to be removably received within said buccal/labial portion of said carrier, wherein said insert extends from a position of the wearer's left canine to the wearer's right canine, and wherein said insert has mechanical force distribution and dissipation properties. 39. A dental device comprising: a U-shaped carrier having at least one channel for embracing an arch of teeth, said channel being bound by a buccal/labial wall, a lingual/palatal wall, and an occlusal/incisal wall therebetween, said buccal/labial wall having an upstanding portion extending from said occlusal/incisal wall and a free edge spaced apart from said occlusal/incisal wall, wherein said upstanding portion of said buccal/labial wall includes a facial surface and a lingual surface;a recessed inset within said buccal/labial wall of said carrier, said inset having an opening along said lingual surface of said upstanding portion; anda discrete insert having a predefined shape complementary to a shape of said inset, said insert being adapted to removably fit into said inset, said insert having mechanical force distribution and dissipation properties.