초록 ▼

A method of forming oral orthotic systems (100) to position and/or stabilize a mandible of a patient includes providing an upper dental member (20) adapted to be placed in connection with upper dentition of the patient, providing a lower dental member (30) adapted to be placed in connection with low

A method of forming oral orthotic systems (100) to position and/or stabilize a mandible of a patient includes providing an upper dental member (20) adapted to be placed in connection with upper dentition of the patient, providing a lower dental member (30) adapted to be placed in connection with lower dentition of the patient and providing a plurality of posterior mounting structures (40). Each of the posterior mounting structure is adapted to be attached to one of the upper dental member or the lower dental member at a posterior, buccal position thereon. Each of the posterior mounting structures includes an extending member (42) which includes a plurality of positions (44) at which one of a plurality of connectors (50) is attachable to the extending member. Force may be applied to the mandible of the patient via at least one of a plurality of different mechanisms via attachment of a component of the mechanism (120) to at least one of the posterior mounting structures. The upper dental member and the lower dental member are formed, independently, from at least one polymeric material.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A method of forming oral orthotic systems to position a mandible of a patient, comprising: providing an upper dental member adapted to be placed in connection with upper dentition of the patient;providing a lower dental member adapted to be placed in connection with lower dentition of the patient

1. A method of forming oral orthotic systems to position a mandible of a patient, comprising: providing an upper dental member adapted to be placed in connection with upper dentition of the patient;providing a lower dental member adapted to be placed in connection with lower dentition of the patient;providing a plurality of posterior mounting structures, each of the posterior mounting structures being adapted to be attached to one of the upper dental member or the lower dental member at a posterior, buccal position thereon, each of the posterior mounting structures comprising an extending member, the extending member comprising a plurality of positions at which one of a plurality of connectors is removably attachable to the extending member; andproviding a plurality of different mechanisms comprising a first mechanism including at least an elastomeric member, a second mechanism including a rod assembly, and a third mechanism including an extending link comprising a first arced end and a second arced end and connecting members connecting the first arced end and the second arced end, wherein at least one of the plurality of different mechanisms is adapted to push the mandible of the patient forward and at least one of the plurality of different mechanisms is adapted to pull the mandible forward;wherein force can be applied to the mandible of the patient via a selected one of the plurality of different mechanisms via attachment of a component of the selected one of the plurality of different mechanisms to at least one of the posterior mounting structures via at least one of the plurality of connectors, and wherein the plurality of positions at which one of the plurality of connectors is removably attached to the extending member are positioned along a length of the extending member. 2. The method of claim 1 wherein each of the posterior mounting structures is formed in substantially the same manner. 3. The method of claim 2 wherein each of the posterior mounting structures comprises a plurality of connector seatings to which one of the plurality of connectors is attachable. 4. The method of claim 3 wherein each of the plurality of connector seatings comprises a threaded passage to cooperate with a threaded section of a shaft of each of the plurality of connectors. 5. The method of claim 4 wherein the shaft of each of the plurality of connectors further comprises a non-threaded section attached to the threaded section and a radially extending flange attached to the non-threaded section. 6. The method of claim 3 comprising attaching one of the plurality of posterior mounting structures to the lower dental member at a posterior, buccal position on a first side thereof and attaching one of the plurality of posterior mounting structures to the lower dental member at a posterior, buccal position on a second side thereof. 7. The method of claim 6 comprising attaching one of the plurality of posterior mounting structures to the upper dental member at a posterior, buccal position on a first side thereof and attaching one of the plurality of posterior mounting structures to the upper member at a posterior, buccal position on a second side thereof. 8. The method of claim 7 further comprising attaching a first end of a first rod assembly to the posterior mounting structure on the first side of the upper dental member via at least one of the plurality of connectors, attaching a second end of the first rod assembly to the posterior mounting structure on the first side of the lower dental member via at least one of the connectors, attaching a first end of a second rod assembly to the posterior mounting structure on the second side of the upper dental member via at least one of the plurality of connectors and attaching a second end of the second rod assembly to the posterior mounting structure on the second side of the lower dental member via at least one of the connectors, a length of the first rod assembly and a length of the second rod assembly being adapted to apply a forward force to the mandible. 9. The method of claim 7 further comprising attaching a first mount member to at least one of the lower dental member and the upper dental member to maintain a predetermined separation between the upper dentition and the lower dentition of the patient. 10. The method of claim 7 further comprising attaching a first end of the extending link to the first, buccal side of the upper dental member at a first end of the extending link and attaching the extending link to the first, buccal side of the lower dental member at a second end of the extending link, the extending link being adapted to prevent posterior movement of a lower jaw of the patient relative to an upper jaw of the patient beyond a determined range, the extending link comprising a first connecting section at the first arced end thereof adapted to snap over the at least one connector attached to the first buccal side of the upper dental member and a second connecting section at the second arced end thereof adapted to snap over the at least one connector attached to the first buccal side of the lower dental member. 11. The method of claim 10 wherein the extending link comprises a first connecting member attached to a first side of the first connecting section at a first end of the first connecting member and to a first side of the second connecting section at a second end of the first connecting member and a second connecting member attached to a second side of the first connecting section at a first end of the second connecting member and to a second side of the second connecting section at a second end of the second connecting member. 12. The method of claim 11 wherein the extending link is formed generally in the form of a loop. 13. The method of claim 1 wherein the upper dental member and the lower dental member are formed, independently, from at least one polymeric material. 14. A system for forming oral orthotic systems to position a mandible of a patient, comprising: an upper dental member adapted to be placed in connection with upper dentition of the patient;a lower dental member adapted to be placed in connection with lower dentition of the patient;a plurality of connectors;a plurality of like posterior mounting structures, each of the posterior mounting structures being adapted to be attached to one of the upper dental member or the lower dental member at a posterior, buccal position thereon, each of the posterior mounting structures comprising an extending member, the extending member comprising a plurality of positions at which one of the plurality of connectors is removably attachable to the extending member; anda plurality of different mechanisms comprising a first mechanism including at least an elastomeric member, a second mechanism including a rod assembly, and a third mechanism including an extending link comprising a first arced end and a second arced end and connecting members connecting the first arced end and the second arced end, wherein at least one of the plurality of different mechanisms is adapted to push the mandible of the patient forward and at least one of the plurality of different mechanisms is adapted to pull the mandible forward;wherein the plurality of like posterior mounting structures are adapted to apply force to the mandible of the patient via a selected one the plurality of different mechanisms via attachment of a component of the selected one of the plurality of different mechanisms to at least one of the posterior mounting structures, and wherein the plurality of positions at which one of the plurality of connectors is removably attached to the extending member are positioned along a length of the extending member. 15. The system of claim 14 wherein each of the posterior mounting structures are formed in substantially the same manner. 16. The system of claim 15 wherein each of the posterior mounting structures comprises a plurality of connector seatings to which one of the plurality of connectors is attachable. 17. The system of claim 16 wherein each of the plurality of connector seatings comprises a threaded passage to cooperate with a threaded section of a shaft of each of the plurality of connectors. 18. The system of claim 17 wherein the shaft of each of the plurality of connectors further comprises a non-threaded section attached to the threaded section and a radially extending flange attached to the non-threaded section. 19. A method of forming oral orthotic systems to position a mandible of a patient, comprising: providing an upper dental member adapted to be placed in connection with upper dentition of the patient;providing a lower dental member adapted to be placed in connection with lower dentition of the patient, the lower dental member comprising a first lower posterior mounting structure at a posterior, buccal position on a first side thereof and a second lower posterior mounting structure at a posterior, buccal position on a second side thereof, each of the first lower posterior mounting structure and second lower posterior mounting structures comprising an extending member, the extending member comprising a plurality of positions at which one of a plurality of connectors is removably attachable thereto; andproviding a plurality of different mechanisms comprising a first mechanism including at least an elastomeric member, a second mechanism including a rod assembly, and a third mechanism including an extending link comprising a first arced end and a second arced end and connecting members connecting the first arced end and the second arced end, wherein at least one of the plurality of different mechanisms is adapted to push the mandible of the patient forward and at least one of the plurality of different mechanisms is adapted to pull the mandible forward;wherein force can be applied to the mandible of the patient via a selected one of the plurality of different mechanisms via attachment of a component of the selected one of the plurality of different mechanisms to at least one of the first lower posterior mounting structure and the second lower posterior mounting structure, wherein the plurality of positions at which one of the plurality of connectors is removably attached to the extending member are positioned along a length of the extending member. 20. The method of claim 19 wherein the upper dental member comprises a first upper posterior mounting structure at a posterior, buccal position on a first side thereof and a second upper posterior mounting structure at a posterior, buccal position on a second side thereof, each of the first upper posterior mounting structure and the second upper posterior mounting structure comprising a plurality of positions at which one of a plurality of connectors is attachable thereto. 21. The method of claim 20 wherein the upper dental member further comprises an anterior mounting structure at an anterior position thereon.