Mandibular adjustment device

Abstract

A mandible adjustment device, comprising an upper dental appliance (1) and a lower dental appliance (2), wherein the upper dental appliance (1) and the lower dental appliance (2) have an upper dental accommodation space (11) and a lower dental accommodation space (21), which are made according to the tooth shape and are respectively fitted on the upper dental arch and the lower dental arch of the human body, and the side walls of the upper dental appliance (1) and the lower dental appliance (2) correspondingly extend a mucosa protection device (12) and a positioning part (22) to the upper molar area (32) and the lower molar area (42), when the upper dental appliance (1) and the lower dental appliance (2) are worn, the positioning part (22) and the mucosa protection device (12) are combined and keep a movable displacement space, so that when the human mandible (5) is moved forward and fixed, the discomfort of the condylar process (51) of the human mandible is avoided, the tongue root (7) is prevented from collapsing and blocking the respiratory passage (8), and the oral mucosa (1011) is prevented from being injured.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a mandibular adjustment device, specifically one that can move the mandible forward to maintain an unobstructed airway, while simultaneously addressing sleep apnea and snoring, and also prevents oral mucosal injury through a mucosal protection device. Background Technology

[0002] Many people snore or experience breathing pauses while sleeping. This is mainly because muscles relax during sleep, and due to gravity, [the body's ability to breathe normally is reduced]. Figure 1 As shown, the muscles supporting the soft palate 102 and the root of the tongue 7 inside the oral cavity 101 of the mouth 10 will drop down, causing the airway 8 to be compressed. When this makes it impossible to maintain unobstructed airflow, snoring will occur. In severe cases, it can even lead to breathing apnea or wheezing, hence the name sleep apnea syndrome. Sleep apnea syndrome may affect sleep quality and may even induce conditions such as high blood pressure and heart disease.

[0003] In order to solve the above problems, there are many so-called anti-snoring devices or devices on the market. Most existing anti-snoring devices use upper and lower teeth braces and a connecting mechanism to move the mandible forward to prevent the drooping jaw from blocking the airway.

[0004] However, the existing products mentioned above all use a fixed mechanism to keep the upper and lower braces in place. Because they forcefully pull the mandible forward and forcibly fix it so that it cannot move back, prolonged wear will cause extreme soreness in the mandibular condyle. Therefore, users will not be able to adapt to wearing this device, which will be very troublesome for users with sleep apnea symptoms.

[0005] In addition, since most existing anti-snoring devices are custom-made and do not conform to the shape of the user's teeth, gaps exist between the braces and teeth, which can lead to misalignment or even detachment. As a result, the devices are not very effective in stopping snoring and preventing sleep apnea.

[0006] In addition, existing anti-snoring devices are worn around the two rows of teeth in the upper and lower jaws in the form of braces. However, since the braces are quite thick, if the mandible moves forward, the thickness of the braces will cause a noticeable foreign body sensation when biting in the front teeth area. If the user has to wear this device while sleeping, it will be difficult to fall asleep easily.

[0007] In addition, there is another type of anti-snoring device that places the connecting mechanism in the front teeth area. This involves using the pull tabs on the upper and lower front teeth to forcefully pull the mandible forward. However, this design would put excessive force on the front teeth area, and with prolonged wear, the strong pull on the front teeth area would cause extreme discomfort to the user. Therefore, this is not a type of device that can be used for a long time.

[0008] Therefore, in order to solve the above problems, the present invention is equipped with a mucosal protection device and a positioning part at both the upper and lower braces, and a column and a hook extend from the upper positioning part and the lower positioning part respectively. When the hooks of the upper and lower positioning parts are engaged, the mandible can be moved forward to keep the airway 8 unobstructed, and at the same time solve the problems of breathing cessation and snoring. In addition, since the upper and lower positioning parts are not tightly fitted, but are movable, there is a full range of motion space, avoiding discomfort at the joint (condyle) of the mandible caused by tightness. Therefore, the present invention should be the best solution. Summary of the Invention

[0009] This invention relates to a mandibular adjustment device, comprising: an upper dental kit having an upper tooth receiving space formed according to the shape of teeth for fitting onto the human maxillary arch; a mucosal protection device extending from the side wall of the upper dental kit corresponding to the upper molar region, the mucosal protection device having an arc-shaped outer wall surface and a penetrating hole; and a lower dental kit having a lower tooth receiving space formed according to the shape of teeth for fitting onto the human mandibular arch, the mandibular arch being located on the mandible; a positioning portion extending from the side wall of the lower dental kit corresponding to the lower molar region; a post extending from the positioning portion toward the mucosal protection device; the post... The front end extends towards the condyle of a human body with a bent section, and a bending angle is formed between the post and the bent section. The diameter of the through hole of the mucosal protection device is larger than that of the positioning part. When the upper and lower dental kits are worn, the bent section and the post are driven to pass through the through hole. When the post moves backward, it is blocked by the wall of the through hole and cannot move backward. The bent section is blocked by the top surface of the mucosal protection device, so the lower dental kit cannot move down. This relatively fixes the human mandible in a set position. The diameter of the through hole is larger than that of the post, allowing the post to move freely within the through hole. This relatively allows the mandible to move freely and avoids discomfort at the condyle due to prolonged wear.

[0010] In a preferred embodiment, both the upper molar region and the lower molar region include a first minor molar, a second minor molar, a first major molar, and a second major molar, and the positions of the mucosal protection device and the positioning part can correspond to any one of the first major molar, the second major molar, or one side between any two molars.

[0011] In a preferred embodiment, the preferred position of the mucosal protection device and the positioning portion corresponds to one side of the periphery of the first molar.

[0012] In a preferred embodiment, the upper dental kit and / or the lower dental kit are provided with an opening relative to the anterior tooth region of the human maxillary dental arch and / or the human mandibular dental arch, so as to expose the tooth surface of the anterior tooth region.

[0013] In a preferred embodiment, the thickness of the upper dental kit and the lower dental kit relative to the occlusal surface of the anterior teeth region of the human maxillary and mandibular dental arches is less than 1 mm.

[0014] In a preferred embodiment, the angle between the column of the positioning part and the bent section is 30 to 110 degrees, and preferably close to 90 degrees.

[0015] In a preferred embodiment, an adjuster may be fitted onto the column of the positioning part, the thickness of which is used to finely adjust the position of the mandible in the forward positioning.

[0016] In a preferred embodiment, the mucosal protection device has a positioning groove on the top wall near the condyle. One end of the positioning groove is connected to the inner wall of the through hole, and the other end is provided with a snap-fit ​​groove. A snap-fit ​​block is provided at the end of the bent section of the positioning part. The positioning groove is used to engage with the bent section for positioning, and the snap-fit ​​block is engaged in the snap-fit ​​groove to increase the stability of the upper and lower dental kits when they are engaged.

[0017] In a preferred embodiment, the top wall surface of the mucosal protection device near the condyle is larger than the bent section, so that the bent section is not exposed on the arc-shaped outer wall surface of the mucosal protection device, thus avoiding contact between the end of the bent section and the oral mucosa. Attached Figure Description

[0018] Figure 1 A diagram illustrating the muscles that compress the human respiratory tract;

[0019] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the teeth and mandible of the human skull;

[0020] Figure 3A This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the upper tooth assembly of the mandibular adjustment device of the present invention;

[0021] Figure 3B This is a schematic diagram of the upper tooth assembly of the mandibular adjustment device of the present invention from the top view.

[0022] Figure 4A This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the mandibular adjustment device of the present invention, showing the lower tooth assembly.

[0023] Figure 4BThis is a schematic diagram of the upper structure of the mandibular adjustment device of the present invention, showing the lower tooth assembly.

[0024] Figure 5A This is a schematic diagram of the skeletal displacement of the mandibular adjustment device of the present invention in the wearing state;

[0025] Figure 5B This is a schematic diagram of the skeletal displacement of the mandibular adjustment device of the present invention in the wearing state;

[0026] Figure 6A This is a schematic diagram showing the connection between the upper and lower dental components of the mandibular adjustment device of the present invention;

[0027] Figure 6B This is a schematic diagram illustrating the implementation of the upper and lower dental components of the mandibular adjustment device of the present invention on the oral mucosa;

[0028] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the breathing channel state after the mandibular adjustment device of the present invention has been worn;

[0029] Figure 8A This is a schematic diagram of the opening structure of the upper tooth kit of the mandibular adjustment device of the present invention;

[0030] Figure 8B This is a schematic diagram of the opening structure of the mandibular adjustment device of the present invention for the lower tooth assembly;

[0031] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the mandibular adjustment device of the present invention.

[0032] Figures 10A-10C This is a schematic diagram of the adjuster of the mandibular adjustment device of the present invention;

[0033] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of another embodiment of the mucosal protection device of the mandibular adjustment device of the present invention.

[0034] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures

[0035] 1: Upper dental kit

[0036] 11: Upper teeth accommodating space

[0037] 12: Mucosal protection device

[0038] 121: Curved outer wall surface

[0039] 122: Through hole

[0040] 123: Top wall

[0041] 124 positioning slots

[0042] 125 slot

[0043] 13: Opening

[0044] 2: Lower Tooth Kit

[0045] 21: Lower tooth space

[0046] 22: Positioning Department

[0047] 221: Column

[0048] 222: Bending section

[0049] 223 buckle

[0050] 23: Opening

[0051] 31: Anterior teeth region

[0052] 311: Upper front teeth

[0053] 312: Upper incisors

[0054] 313: Upper canines

[0055] 32: Upper molar region

[0056] 321: First molar

[0057] 322: Second molar

[0058] 323: First molar

[0059] 324: Second molar

[0060] 41: Anterior teeth region

[0061] 411: Lower front teeth

[0062] 412: Upper incisors

[0063] 413: Lower canines

[0064] 42: Lower molar region

[0065] 421: Lower front teeth

[0066] 422: Lower incisors

[0067] 423: Lower canines

[0068] 424: Second molar

[0069] 5: Mandible

[0070] 51: Condyle

[0071] 6,6',6”: Adjuster

[0072] 61,61',61”: Hole

[0073] 7: Root of the tongue

[0074] 8: Breathing tract

[0075] 10: Mouth

[0076] 101: Oral Clinic

[0077] 1011: Oral mucosa

[0078] 102: Supporting the soft palate

[0079] A1: Original position

[0080] A2: First forward position

[0081] A3: Second forward position. Detailed Implementation

[0082] Other technical contents, features and effects of the present invention will be clearly presented in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0083] like Figure 2 As shown, the human oral cavity contains the maxillary dental arch and the mandibular dental arch, and the dentition of the maxillary and mandibular dental arches is as follows:

[0084] 1. The maxillary dental arch has the following dentition:

[0085] (a) Anterior region 31, including upper central incisors 311, upper lateral incisors 312, and upper canines 313;

[0086] (b) Upper molar region 32, including first premolar 321, second premolar 322, first molar 323, second molar 324 (and third molar).

[0087] 2. The mandibular dental arch has the following dentition:

[0088] (a) Anterior tooth region 41, including lower central incisors 411, lower lateral incisors 412, and lower canines 413;

[0089] (b) Lower molar region 42, including first premolar 421, second premolar 422, first molar 423, second molar 424 (and third molar).

[0090] like Figure 3A , Figure 3B , Figure 4A , Figure 4BAs shown, the mandibular adjustment device of the present invention includes an upper tooth kit 1 and a lower tooth kit 2. Since the upper tooth kit 1 and the lower tooth kit 2 respectively have an upper tooth receiving space 11 and a lower tooth receiving space 21, and since the upper tooth kit 1 and the lower tooth kit 2 are made by 3D scanning the user's tooth shape, the human body's upper and lower dental arches will fit closely with the upper tooth receiving space 11 and the lower tooth receiving space 21.

[0091] A mucosal protection device 12 is provided on the side wall of the upper dental kit 1 corresponding to the upper molar area 32. The mucosal protection device 12 has an arc-shaped outer wall surface 121, and a through hole 122 is provided inside the mucosal protection device 12.

[0092] A positioning part 22 is provided on the side wall of the lower tooth kit 2 corresponding to the lower molar region 32. The positioning part 22 extends into a post 221 towards the upper molar region 32. The front end of the post 221 bends and extends into a bent section 222 towards the condyle 51 of the mandible 5. The post 221 and the bent section 222 have an angle between 30 and 110 degrees, including 30 degrees, 40 degrees, 50 degrees, 60 degrees, 70 degrees, 80 degrees, 90 degrees, 100 degrees and 110 degrees, with close to 90 degrees being the best. The positioning part 22 is smaller than the diameter of the through hole 122, so that both the post 221 and the bent section 222 of the positioning part 22 can pass through the through hole 122.

[0093] When the upper dental kit 1 and the lower dental kit 2 are worn (with the condyle 51 of the mandible 5 in its original position A1), as follows: Figure 5A As shown, the user must use the mouth muscles to control the mandible 5 to move downwards, and then move the mandible 5 forwards, causing the lower teeth assembly 2 to move forwards as well (from the original position A1 to the first forward position A2).

[0094] Then close your mouth, as if Figure 5B As shown, the upright post 221 and the bent segment 222 penetrate the perforation hole 122 of the mucosal protection device 12, so that the bent segment 222 is located at the upper dental kit 1. At this time, the mandible 5 will automatically move backward by the muscles. During the backward movement, the upright post 221 will be blocked by the inner wall surface of the perforation hole 122 near the condyle 51, and cannot move backward to the original position A1. The bent segment 222 will move towards the condyle 51 due to the backward movement, and will be blocked by the top wall surface 123 of the mucosal protection device 12, so that the mandible 5 cannot move downward, keeping the mouth in a closed state (the condyle 51 moves to the second forward position A3, and the positioning pattern is as follows). Figure 6AAs shown), in this embodiment, both the mucosal protection device 12 and the positioning part 22 are located on one side corresponding to the periphery of the first molar. The position of the penetrating hole 122 near the inner wall of the condyle 51 is the preset position for the anterior displacement positioning of the mandible 5. This position can be customized for the user, taking a position that is physiologically acceptable to the user. Moreover, the size of the column 221 is much smaller than the penetrating hole 122, so that the column 221 can move omnidirectionally within the penetrating hole 122, allowing the mandible 5 to move freely under the influence of subconsciousness even during sleep, rather than being fixed. Furthermore, the top wall surface 123 of the mucosal protection device 12 has a larger area than the bent section 222, so that the bent section 222 will not be exposed on the arc-shaped outer wall surface 121 of the mucosal protection device 12, avoiding contact between the end of the bent section 222 and the oral mucosa 1011 (e.g., Figure 6B (As shown).

[0095] In addition, the bent section 222 is blocked by the top wall 123 of the mucosal protection device 12, preventing the mandible 5 from moving downward, thus preventing the user from opening their mouth while sleeping; therefore, when the mandible 5 moves forward and cannot move downward to open the mouth, the tongue root 7 and the supporting soft palate 102 can be pulled upward to keep the airway 8 open during sleep and prevent sleep apnea and snoring.

[0096] In addition, such as Figure 6B As shown, the curved outer wall 121 can conform to the oral mucosa 1011. When the mandible 5 moves slightly, the curved outer wall 121 will not scratch the mucosa. Moreover, the curved outer wall 121 will distribute the pressure on the oral mucosa 1011 instead of holding it at a single point. Therefore, even after wearing it for a long time, it will not cause discomfort to the oral mucosa 1011.

[0097] In addition, such as Figure 8A and Figure 8B As shown, the upper dental kit 1 and / or the lower dental kit 2 are respectively provided with openings 13 and 23 relative to the anterior tooth region 31 of the human maxillary dental arch 3 and the anterior tooth region 41 of the human mandibular dental arch 4, so as to expose the tooth surfaces of the anterior tooth regions 31 and 41. When the user's mandible 5 moves forward, the tooth surfaces of the anterior tooth regions 31 and 41 can contact each other, so that the mandible 5 will not be in a downward position due to the excessive thickness of the upper dental kit 1 and / or the lower dental kit 2, thus preventing discomfort at the condyle 51.

[0098] In addition, in order to avoid discomfort caused by the thickness of the upper dental kit 1 and / or the lower dental kit 2, the thickness of the occlusal surface of the upper dental kit and the lower dental kit relative to the anterior teeth of the human maxillary and mandibular arches can be designed to be less than 1 mm. This will allow the occlusion of the anterior teeth to be as similar as possible to the occlusal habits before wearing braces, thereby reducing the user's discomfort.

[0099] Please see Figure 7 , Figure 9 and Figures 10A-10C To prevent the mandibular bone 5 from being positioned so that the airway remains unobstructed during sleep, an adjuster 6 can be fitted onto the column 221 as needed (e.g., Figure 9 As shown, the position of the mandible 5 can be controlled by adjusting the thickness of the adjuster 6. Furthermore, the overall size of the post 221 after wearing the adjuster 6 is still smaller than the penetrating hole 122, allowing the post 221 to still move omnidirectionally within the penetrating hole.

[0100] For example Figures 10A-10C As shown in the figure, the adjuster 6,6',6” is elastic and has a hole 61,61',61”. Through the design of the hole 61,61',61”, the adjuster 6,6',6” is fitted onto the post 221. The adjuster 6,6',6” can be designed with different thicknesses and sizes, allowing users to select the desired adjuster 6,6',6” for use. This allows users to adjust the forward positioning of the mandible 5, achieving the purpose of fine adjustment. At the same time, with an forward position that is acceptable to the user, the airway 8 is kept unobstructed, preventing breathing cessation during sleep and achieving the purpose of anti-snoring.

[0101] Additionally, please see Figure 11 As shown, the difference from the above embodiments is that a positioning groove 124 is provided on the top wall surface 123 of the mucosal protection device 12 near the condyle 51. One end of the positioning groove 124 is connected to the inner wall surface of the through hole 122, and the other end is provided with a fastening groove 125. A fastening block 223 is provided at the end of the bent section 222 of the positioning part 22. The positioning groove 124 is used to engage and position with the bent section 222, and the fastening block 223 will engage in the fastening groove 125 to increase the stability when the upper dental kit 1 and the lower dental kit 2 are engaged. Other structures are the same as those in the above embodiments and will not be described again here.

[0102] The mandibular adjustment device provided by this invention has the following advantages compared with other existing technologies:

[0103] (1) When the human body is asleep, the mandible 5 will move freely. If the mandible 5 is fixed, after a long time, the condyle 51 of the mandible 5 will definitely feel extremely uncomfortable. The present invention makes the diameter of the through hole 12 of the mucosal protection device 12 larger than that of the positioning part 22, so that the positioning part 22 can move freely in all directions within the through hole 122. Therefore, the mandible 5 can move freely in all directions when the user is asleep, and the condyle 51 of the mandible 5 will not feel any discomfort when worn for a long time.

[0104] (2) When the mandible 5 is moved forward and positioned, the tongue root 7 and the supporting soft palate 102 will be pulled upward simultaneously to keep the breathing passage 8 unobstructed, so as to solve the problem of breathing cessation and snoring caused by the user during sleep.

[0105] The present invention sets the mucosal protection device 12 in the form of an arc-shaped outer wall surface 121, so that when the mucosal protection device 12 is pressed against the oral mucosa 1011, the pressure is dispersed and it will not be pressed against a single point, causing discomfort to the oral mucosa 1011.

[0106] The present invention has been disclosed above through the above embodiments, but it is not intended to limit the present invention. Any person skilled in the art should understand the foregoing technical features and embodiments of the present invention and should not make any modifications or alterations without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of patent protection of the present invention shall be determined by the claims appended to this specification.

Claims

1. A mandibular adjustment device, characterized in that, include: An upper dental kit has an upper tooth receiving space, which is formed according to the shape of the teeth and is used to fit onto the human upper dental arch. A mucosal protection device extends from the side wall of the upper dental kit corresponding to the upper molar area. The mucosal protection device has an arc-shaped outer wall surface and a penetrating hole. The curvature angle of the arc-shaped outer wall surface can conform to the oral mucosa. A lower tooth kit has a lower tooth receiving space, which is formed according to the shape of the teeth and is used to fit on the human mandibular dental arch. The mandibular dental arch is located on the mandible. A positioning part extends from the side wall of the lower tooth kit corresponding to the lower molar area. A column extends from the positioning part toward the mucosal protection device. A bent section extends from the front end of the column toward a human condyle. A bending angle is formed between the column and the bent section. The column and the bent section are located directly below the penetrating hole. The diameter of the through hole in the mucosal protection device is larger than that of the positioning part. When the upper and lower dental kits are worn, the bent section and the post are driven to pass through the through hole. When the post moves backward, it is blocked by the wall of the through hole and cannot move backward. The bent section is blocked by the top surface of the mucosal protection device, which prevents the lower dental kit from moving down. This fixes the mandible in a set position. The diameter of the through hole is larger than that of the post, allowing the post to move freely in the through hole. This allows the mandible to move freely and avoids discomfort at the condyle caused by prolonged wear. The mucosal protection device has a positioning groove on the top wall near the condyle. One end of the positioning groove is connected to the inner wall of the through hole, and the other end is provided with a snap-fit ​​groove. A snap-fit ​​block is provided at the end of the bent section of the positioning part. The positioning groove is used to engage and position with the bent section, and the snap-fit ​​block will engage in the snap-fit ​​groove to increase the stability when the upper and lower dental kits are engaged.

2. The mandibular adjustment device as described in claim 1, characterized in that, Both the upper molar region and the lower molar region include a first small molar, a second small molar, a first large molar, and a second large molar. The position of the mucosal protection device and the positioning part can correspond to any one of the first large molar and the second large molar, or to one side between any two molars.

3. The mandibular adjustment device as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The mucosal protection device and the positioning part correspond to one side of the periphery of the first molar.

4. The mandibular adjustment device as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The upper dental kit and / or the lower dental kit have an opening relative to the anterior region of the human maxillary dental arch and / or the human mandibular dental arch, so as to expose the tooth surface of the anterior region.

5. The mandibular adjustment device as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The thickness of the upper and lower dental kits relative to the occlusal surfaces of the anterior teeth of the human maxillary and mandibular dental arches is less than 1 mm.

6. The mandibular adjustment device as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The angle between the column of the positioning part and the bending section is 30 to 110 degrees.

7. The mandibular adjustment device as described in claim 1, characterized in that, An adjuster can be fitted onto the column of the positioning part. The thickness of the adjuster is used to finely adjust the position of the mandible's forward positioning.

8. The mandibular adjustment device as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The top wall of the mucosal protection device near the condyle is larger than the bent section, so that the bent section will not be exposed on the arc-shaped outer wall of the mucosal protection device, thus avoiding contact between the end of the bent section and the oral mucosa.

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