Open bite registration device for use in making a customized intraoral device for radiation treatment

Abstract

A device is disclosed to assist in making a customized intraoral positioning device IPD to be positioned within a mouth of a patient in accordance with a prescribed radiation therapy treatment plan for a head and / or neck of the patient, the prescribed radiation therapy treatment plan including an incisor separation and / or tongue position of the patient, the device comprising: a base unit configured to be positioned between upper and lower arches in the patient's mouth, wherein the base unit includes an arch section for incisor separation in a deployed configuration in the patient's mouth and first and second arms that extending from the arch unit; a handle extending from the base unit to enable a user to grasp the device so that the user may introduce and remove the device from the patient's mouth; and one or more bite blocks configured on the arch section of the base unit so as to increase the height of the arch section in accordance with the incisor separation of the prescribed radiation therapy treatment plan, to thereby enable a user to obtain records of the position for dental and oral structure within the patient's mouth including a relationship between the upper and lower arches at the prescribed incisor separation.

Description

REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application claims priority to U.S. provisional application No. 62 / 399,491, filed Sep. 26, 2016 entitled “Intraoral Positioning Device” and U.S. provisional application No. 62 / 399,490, filed on Sep. 26, 2016 entitled “Method of Making Intraoral Positioning Devices for User Radiation Therapy Treatment and Registration Device for Method” which are both incorporated by reference herein.FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0002]The present invention relates to an open bite registration device for use in making an intraoral positioning device for user radiation therapy treatment.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0003]Over the last 10 years, head and neck cancer diagnoses have increased annually by ten to fifteen percent. The rise in occurrence is largely the result of the increase in HPV infections. Radiation therapy (e.g. Intensity modulated radiation therapy treatment, IMRT, or intensity modulated proton therapy, IMPT) is a primary treatment modality along with ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The patent describes a device that helps make a customized device to position a patient's head and neck for radiation therapy treatment. The device includes a base that is placed in the patient's mouth and has a part that separates the incisors. The device also has a handle that is used to put the device in and remove it from the patient's mouth. There are also bite blocks that are added to the base to change its height based on the treatment plan, so that the device can show the position of the patient's dental and oral structures, including the relationship between the upper and lower arches, during the treatment.

Problems solved by technology

Prior devices for IMRT treatments, however, have been less than effective for such purposes when it comes to positioning the dental structures (e.g., lower jaw) including the tongue.

This is due to the inadequacy of prior methods and products used to make such devices.

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