Dental instruments

Abstract

To provide a convenient dental device for patients who require the use of tongue position correction devices and other intraoral appliances. [Solution] The dental instrument 1 comprises an oral treatment device 10 that is detachably attached to the patient's upper teeth and is used to perform a predetermined procedure such as a retainer or night guard in the oral cavity, and a tongue position regulating device 50 which has a support 51 connected to the oral treatment device 10 and a contact body 52 that is supported by the support 51 and contacts the tongue body or tongue root of the patient's tongue T, and is used to regulate the tongue position, which is a procedure different from the predetermined procedure.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a dental appliance having a function of regulating the tongue position.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, it is known that sleep disorders are caused by oral function deficiencies. For example, oral function deficiencies such as mouth breathing, malocclusion, reduced function of the masticatory muscle group, and swallowing disorders may cause sleep disorders such as snoring and obstructive sleep apnea. On the other hand, treatments are known that focus on the function of the tongue and improve the above-mentioned oral function deficiencies by improving the function of the tongue, thereby also improving sleep disorders.

[0003] For example, since the above-mentioned oral function deficiencies are considered to be mainly caused by reduced tongue muscle strength, tongue position correction appliances for exercising the tongue muscles have been proposed (see Patent Documents 1 to 3). The appliances described in these patent documents are worn in the patient's oral cavity during sleep, etc., and are directly attached to the patient's teeth using a band or the like, and a wire or the like contacts the patient's tongue to correct the tongue position. Then, due to natural physiological phenomena, the tongue causes a muscle reflex, and the tongue muscles are exercised.

[0004] In addition, when worn during sleep, it is expected that the tongue will cause a muscle reflex and return to an appropriate position, opening the stuffy airway and improving snoring and apnea. Furthermore, when the tongue muscles are exercised, pressure is applied to the teeth from the oral cavity, so the tooth alignment and malocclusion are improved, and the swallowing function is also improved by expanding the oral cavity volume. Thus, by correcting the tongue position during sleep using the appliances of Patent Documents 1 to 3, various function improvements can be achieved.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

[0006] Incidentally, in addition to the tongue position correction appliances mentioned above, there are various other devices that can be fitted into a patient's oral cavity. For example, there are retainers that are worn over the teeth as part of orthodontic treatment, night guards that are worn over the teeth to prevent teeth grinding (bruxism) or clenching (clenching) during sleep, and dentures that replace missing teeth. These devices are worn during sleep, or it is recommended that they be worn even while sleeping. Therefore, at present, tongue position correction appliances and other oral appliances are basically used interchangeably.

[0007] Therefore, the purpose of this disclosure is to provide a dental device that is convenient for patients who need to use a tongue position correction device and other intraoral devices. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The dental instrument of this disclosure comprises an oral treatment device that is detachably attached to the maxillary teeth or the position of maxillary teeth of a patient and is used to perform a predetermined procedure in the oral cavity; and a tongue position regulating device that has a support connected to the oral treatment device and a contact body supported by the support and in contact with the lingual body or root of the patient's tongue, and is used to regulate the tongue position, which is a procedure different from the predetermined procedure.

[0009] This allows for simultaneous implementation of tongue position control procedures and other prescribed oral procedures, enabling earlier functional improvements from each procedure.

[0010] For example, oral treatment devices may include retainers, night guards, or dentures. In the case of a dental device that integrates a retainer and a tongue position regulating device, it is possible to retain teeth during orthodontic treatment while simultaneously regulating tongue position. In the case of a dental device that integrates a night guard and a tongue position regulating device, it is possible to alleviate sleep disturbances while simultaneously regulating tongue position. Furthermore, in the case of a dental device that integrates dentures and a tongue position regulating device, for example, elderly people can wear full dentures with a tongue position regulating device attached while sleeping, which can promote nasal breathing and improve swallowing function. [Effects of the Invention]

[0011] The dental instruments described herein provide convenient dental instruments for patients who require the use of tongue position correction devices and other intraoral appliances. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0012] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a drawing showing a dental instrument according to Embodiment 1. [Figure 2] Figure 2A is a diagram showing the configuration of the tongue position regulating device when viewed from above, and Figure 2B is a diagram showing the configuration of the tongue position regulating device when viewed from the rear. [Figure 3] Figure 3 is a perspective view showing the configuration of the adjuster. [Figure 4] Figure 4 is a drawing showing a dental instrument according to Embodiment 2. [Figure 5] Figure 5 is a diagram showing modified example 1. [Figure 6] Figure 6 is a diagram showing modified example 2. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0013] Hereinafter, a dental appliance according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described. Note that the dental appliance described below is merely one embodiment of the present disclosure. Therefore, the present disclosure is not limited to the following embodiments, and additions, deletions, or changes to the configuration are possible without departing from the spirit of the disclosure.

[0014] In addition, regarding the concept of direction used in the following description, for the dental appliance in the state of being worn in the patient's oral cavity, the vertical direction, the front-back direction, and the left-right direction as viewed from the patient are applied. However, such a concept of direction is used for convenience in the description, and the orientation of the configuration of each disclosure is not limited to that direction.

[0015] (Embodiment 1) The dental appliance 1 according to Embodiment 1 will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3. FIG. 1 is a drawing showing the dental appliance 1 according to Embodiment 1, and is a view seen from below in the state of being worn on the upper jaw of the patient. Briefly, the dental appliance 1 shown in FIG. 1 is a retainer or night guard as an oral treatment device that is detachably attached to the teeth (for example, dental arch) of the patient's upper jaw, with a tongue position regulating function added.

[0016] That is, the dental appliance 1 includes an oral treatment device 10, which is a retainer or night guard, and a tongue position regulating device 50. The retainer regulates (fixes) the position of the teeth of the patient during orthodontic treatment. The night guard alleviates disorders such as tooth grinding (bruxism) and clenching during sleep. Since such a retainer and a night guard have different functions but similar configurations, they are collectively referred to as the oral treatment device 10 and described here.

[0017] The oral treatment device 10 has a mouthpiece 20 that is placed on the dental arch of the patient's upper jaw and worn, and left and right extending portions 三十, 三十 that extend from the left and right portions of the mouthpiece 20 toward the center along the patient's palate.

[0018] The mouthpiece 20 has an arch shape that conforms to the dental arch of the patient's upper jaw, and has an occlusal portion 21 corresponding to the occlusal surface of the teeth, an inner wall portion 22 corresponding to the palatal (inner) surface of the teeth, and an outer wall portion 23 corresponding to the vestibular (outer) surface of the teeth. Note that the occlusal portion 21 is provided on the teeth corresponding to the posterior molars (first premolar to third molar) among the patient's teeth, and is not present on the anterior canine teeth and incisors. The canine teeth and incisors have a configuration in which the inner wall portion 22 and the outer wall portion 23 are combined.

[0019] Such a mouthpiece 20 is composed of rear pieces 20r, 20r corresponding to the left and right molars, and a front piece 20f located more forward and corresponding to the canine teeth and incisors. The rear pieces 20r, 20r and the front piece 20f are integrally formed with each other. Note that when a virtual line L1 extending in the front-rear direction is set through the left and right centers (the center of the oral cavity) of the mouthpiece 20, the mouthpiece 20 has a substantially bilaterally symmetric shape with respect to this virtual line L1.

[0020] An opening 24 is provided at the upper part of the mouthpiece 20 so that the dental arch can enter and exit the internal space of the mouthpiece 20. This opening 24 is defined by the upper edge of the inner wall portion 22 and the upper edge of the outer wall portion 23. This opening 24 is continuous, and the internal spaces between the left rear piece 20r and the front piece 20f communicate with each other, and the internal spaces between the right rear piece 20r and the front piece 20f also communicate with each other.

[0021] The oral treatment measure 10 has a flange portion 25 extending from the upper edge of the mouthpiece 20, that is, the peripheral portion of the opening 24. This flange portion 25 is extended along the patient's gum. Note that in the dental instrument 1 shown in FIG. 1, an example in which the flange portion 25 is provided around the entire circumference of the mouthpiece 20 is shown, but it is not limited to this. For example, it may be provided only in part, such as not provided on the vestibular side but only on the palatal side among the entire circumference of the mouthpiece 20.

[0022] An extension portion 30 is provided on the palatal side (right side) of the left posterior piece 20r of the mouthpiece 20, and on the palatal side (left side) of the right posterior piece 20r. The extension portion 30 is connected to the posterior piece 20r in a region R1 that extends from a position corresponding to the first premolar, near the anterior end of the posterior piece 20r, to a position corresponding to the second molar posteriorly. The extension portion 30 extends from this region R1 toward the center of the oral cavity along the patient's palate, that is, toward the imaginary line L1, and its extension dimension gradually decreases from the posterior portion 31 toward the anterior portion 32. The extension portion 30 also forms part of the flange portion 25 described above.

[0023] An insertion hole 33 extending in the front-rear direction is formed in the extension portion 30. More precisely, the insertion hole 33 extends linearly and is inclined with respect to the front-rear direction such that its front end 35 is located closer to the imaginary line L1 than its rear end 34. The rear end 34 of the insertion hole 33 opens outward near the rear part 31 of the extension portion 30 (in the example in Figure 1, at the position between the first molar and the second molar in the front-rear direction), while the front end 35 is closed. The tongue position regulating device 50 is attached to these left and right insertion holes 33 and fixed by the adjuster 40.

[0024] In this type of oral treatment device 10, the mouthpiece 10, flange portion 25, and extension portion 30 are integrally molded from synthetic resin. For example, the shape of the patient's oral cavity is molded using silicone or alginate, or using an optical scanner, and an oral model is created by filling the mold with plaster or the like. Then, a release agent is applied to the surface of the oral model as appropriate, and a heated and softened synthetic resin plate is pressed against it and vacuumed to shape the resin plate to conform to the model. After it has cooled sufficiently, it is demolded and trimmed to obtain an integral oral treatment device 10.

[0025] The method for molding the oral treatment device 10 is not limited to this, and other methods may be used. For example, the oral treatment device 10 may be manufactured by molding the mouthpiece 10, the flange portion 25, and the extension portion 30 separately, and then connecting them by welding or adhesive to form a single unit.

[0026] Figure 2A shows the configuration of the tongue position regulating device 50 when viewed from above, and Figure 2B shows the configuration of the tongue position regulating device 50 when viewed from the rear. The tongue position regulating device 50 is a device for regulating the tongue position, which is a procedure different from the procedure targeted by the oral treatment device 10. Note that regulating the tongue position includes correcting the tongue position to an appropriate position. The tongue position regulating device 50 has a support body 51 that is installed between the left gum vicinity and the right gum vicinity, that is, between the left and right extensions 30, 30. The tongue position regulating device 50 also has a contact body 52 that is supported by the support body 51 and is provided to contact the tongue body or tongue root of the patient's tongue T.

[0027] The support 51 according to Embodiment 1 is composed of a single wire 60. This wire 60 is made of, for example, stainless steel, and in particular, SUS304, which is classified as an austenitic stainless steel, can be preferably used from the viewpoint of corrosion resistance.

[0028] As shown in Figures 2A and 2B, the support 51 has a substantially symmetrical shape. Specifically, the central part of the wire 60 in the longitudinal direction forms a linear first portion 61 extending in the left-right direction. From the left and right ends of the first portion 61, a second portion 62 extends linearly backward, upward, and outward, and a third portion 63 is provided at the rear end of the second portion 62, which is folded back from the rear to the front to form a U-shape. The third portion 63 extends outward and downward as it turns from the rear to the front. Furthermore, a fourth portion 64 extends linearly forward and inward from the front end of the third portion 63. In this way, the support 51 is composed of wire 60 that have a complex three-dimensional shape.

[0029] As shown in Figure 2B, the support 51 has a central first portion 61 located below the fourth portions 64 at both ends. A contact body 52 is attached to this first portion 61. The contact body 52 is cylindrical in shape, elongated in the left-right direction, with rounded ends. In this embodiment, the contact body 52 has a left-right dimension that is approximately the same length as the first portion 61 or slightly shorter than the first portion 61. Such a contact body 52 is integrally provided with the first portion 61 by insert molding, for example, in which synthetic resin is injected into a mold while the first portion 61 of the support 51 is set in the mold.

[0030] Furthermore, the contact body 52 is not limited to a cylindrical shape with a circular cross-section as described above; it may also be a flat columnar shape with an elliptical or oblong cross-section, or any other shape, and its length is not limited to the above. In addition, the central first portion 61 of the support body 51 may also serve as the contact body 52.

[0031] In the tongue position regulating device 50 described above, the left and right fourth portions 64 of the wire 60, which is the support 51, are connected to the extension portion 30 of the oral treatment device 10. More specifically, the left fourth portion 64 of the wire 60 is inserted from rear to front into the insertion hole 33 of the left extension portion 30, and the right fourth portion 64 of the wire 60 is inserted from rear to front into the insertion hole 33 of the right extension portion 30. In addition, an adjuster 40 is provided near the rear portion 34 of the insertion hole 33 in the extension portion 30.

[0032] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the configuration of the adjuster 40. The adjuster 40 is a device that engages with the fourth portion 64, which is the end of the wire 60, to determine the length (i.e., connection length) to which the fourth portion 64 is inserted into the insertion hole 33, and also allows the connection length to be changed (adjusted) by releasing the engagement.

[0033] As shown in Figure 3, the adjuster 40 has a cylindrical body 41 and a threaded member 45. The cylindrical body 41 is hollow and cylindrical, and its internal space along the axial direction forms a female threaded portion 42 with threaded grooves on its inner surface. The cylindrical body 41 also has a through hole 43 that penetrates in a direction intersecting its axial direction. The through hole 43 intersects with the internal space of the female threaded portion 42 of the cylindrical body 41 and opens on one side and the other side of the axial center of the cylindrical body 41. The opening diameter of the through hole 43 is slightly larger than the diameter of the fourth portion 64 of the support 51.

[0034] The screw member 45 has a male threaded portion 46 with screw threads and a head 47 provided at the base end of the male threaded portion 46. The male threaded portion 46 has dimensions and shape to screw into the female threaded portion 42 of the cylindrical body 41, and its longitudinal dimension is at least longer than the dimension from the upper end of the cylindrical body 41 to the upper end of the through hole 43. The head 47 is integral with the male threaded portion 46, and a tool groove 48 is formed on its upper surface for engagement with a tool such as a screwdriver.

[0035] In this type of adjuster 40, the lower part of the cylindrical body 41 is embedded and fixed in the extension 30. The fourth portion 64 of the support 51 is then inserted through the through hole 43 of the cylindrical body 41. At this time, the fourth portion 64 intersects with the internal space of the female threaded portion 42 of the cylindrical body 41. In this state, the male threaded portion 46 of the screw member 45 is inserted into the female threaded portion 42 of the cylindrical body 41 and screwed in, and the tip of the male threaded portion 46 is brought into contact with the upper surface of the fourth portion 64 and pressed further.

[0036] As a result, the fourth part 64 is clamped between the tip of the male screw portion 46 and the lower edge of the opening of the through hole 43, preventing it from moving longitudinally (fixed state). On the other hand, by loosening the screw member 45 to reduce or eliminate the pressing force between the tip of the male screw portion 46 and the fourth part 64, the fixed state is released, and the fourth part 64 becomes movable longitudinally, allowing for adjustment of the connection length (unfixed state). Then, by appropriately adjusting the connection length of the support 51 (the length of the portion inserted into the insertion hole 33) with the adjuster 40, the position in which the contact body 52 of the tongue position regulating device 50 contacts the patient's tongue T can be finely adjusted.

[0037] Although the adjuster 40 is beneficial as described above, it is not an essential component of the tongue position regulating device 50. If the tongue position regulating device 50 can be manufactured so that the contact body 52 is appropriately positioned relative to the patient's tongue, the adjuster 40 may be omitted. Furthermore, since the adjuster 40 is a device composed of multiple parts as described above, it is preferable that it be certified as a Class II "controlled medical device" under the Pharmaceutical Affairs Law.

[0038] The dental instrument 1 according to Embodiment 1 described above comprises an oral treatment device 10 and a tongue position regulating device 50 integrated into one unit, and is detachably attached to the patient in this state. Therefore, oral treatments related to retainers or night guards and treatments related to tongue position regulation, which are different, can be performed simultaneously.

[0039] Therefore, if the oral treatment device 10 of dental instrument 1 is a retainer, it is possible to retain teeth during orthodontic treatment while simultaneously performing tongue position control. In this case, the tongue position control 50 strengthens the tongue muscles, causing the tongue to press more firmly against the teeth, thereby making tooth retention more efficient. In other words, by combining the retainer (oral treatment device 10) and the tongue position control device 50, not only are the individual effects of each device achieved, but the retention effect can be obtained to a degree that is greater than that of the retainer alone.

[0040] Furthermore, if the oral treatment device 10 of dental instrument 1 is a night guard, it is possible to alleviate sleep disorders while simultaneously performing tongue position correction. In particular, since conventional night guards and tongue position correction devices are both worn during sleep, it was not possible to use the symptomatic treatment of sleep disorders with night guards and the fundamental treatment of sleep disorders in the same way. As a result, there was a dilemma: if one tried to get a good night's sleep by wearing a night guard, the fundamental improvement of the sleep disorder would be delayed, and if one tried to improve the sleep disorder, one would not get a good night's sleep. However, with dental instrument 1 disclosed herein, it is possible to get a good night's sleep every day while fundamentally improving sleep disorders, thus greatly reducing the burden on the patient.

[0041] (Embodiment 2) The dental instrument 100 according to Embodiment 2 will be described with reference to Figure 4. Note that Figure 4 is a view from below when the instrument is attached to the patient's upper jaw. The dental instrument 100 shown in Figure 4 is, in general terms, a denture (prosthesis) as an oral treatment device with a tongue position regulating device added. That is, the dental instrument 100 comprises an oral treatment device 110 which is a denture and a tongue position regulating device 150. The denture is attached to the area where teeth are missing in the patient's upper jaw and has artificial teeth 120 and a denture base 130 which supports the artificial teeth. Note that the denture, which is the oral treatment device 110 shown in Figure 4, is a full denture as an example, but it can also be applied to partial dentures as another example.

[0042] The artificial teeth 120 of the oral treatment device 110 consist of 16 artificial teeth 120 arranged in an arch shape to form a dental arch 121. When a virtual line L2 is set that extends in the anterior-posterior direction through the left and right centers (center of the oral cavity) of the oral treatment device 110, the dental arch 121 has a shape that is approximately symmetrical with respect to the virtual line L2.

[0043] The artificial teeth 120 consist of posterior artificial teeth 120r located on the left and right sides of the dental arch 121, corresponding to the molars, and anterior artificial teeth 120f located in front of these, corresponding to the canines and incisors. In the example shown in Figure 4, there are five posterior artificial teeth 120r on each side and six anterior artificial teeth 120f. These artificial teeth 120 are made of, for example, synthetic resin, porcelain, or ceramics.

[0044] The denture base 130, when viewed from above and below, has an area that includes all the artificial teeth 120, and in the example shown in Figure 4, it has a gingival portion 131 and a palatal portion 132. The gingival portion 131 of the denture base 130 corresponds to the patient's gums, and the artificial teeth 120 are attached to this gingival portion 131. The palatal portion 132 of the denture base 130 corresponds to the patient's palate (for example, the hard palate). Note that the palatal portion 132 is not essential for the denture base 130 and may be omitted, or it may be a smaller configuration than that shown in Figure 4. Such a denture base 130 may be made entirely of synthetic resin, or it may be made by combining a gingival portion 131 made of synthetic resin and a palatal portion 132 made of metal.

[0045] The oral treatment device 110 forming the denture described above can be manufactured following the general method of making dentures. For example, a mold of the oral cavity is created, paraffin wax is placed in it, it is fitted to the patient and the bite is adjusted, a portion is heated and softened to attach the artificial teeth 120, the mold is placed in a container and the gaps are filled with plaster, then the paraffin wax is melted and removed by heating, and synthetic resin is filled into the resulting cavity to form the denture base 130. In this way, the oral treatment device 110, which is a denture in which the artificial teeth 120 and the denture base 130 are integrated, is created. It should be noted that this method is just one example, and of course, it can be manufactured by other methods.

[0046] The denture base 130 of the oral treatment device 110 has through holes 133 that extend in the anterior-posterior direction. More precisely, the through holes 133 are located near the inner surface of the left posterior artificial tooth 120r and near the inner surface of the right posterior artificial tooth 120r. Each through hole 133 extends linearly and is inclined with respect to the anterior-posterior direction such that its anterior end 135 is located closer to the imaginary line L2 than its posterior end 134. The posterior end 134 of the through hole 133 opens outward at a position between, for example, the artificial tooth 120 corresponding to the first molar and the artificial tooth 120 corresponding to the second molar in the anterior-posterior direction, while the anterior end 135 is closed. A tongue position regulating device 150 is attached to these left and right through holes 133 and fixed by an adjuster 140.

[0047] Here, the tongue position regulating device 150 has the same configuration as the tongue position regulating device 50 described in Embodiment 1, and includes a support 151 made of a wire 160 with the same configuration as the support 51, and a contact body 152 with the same configuration as the contact body 52. ​​The adjuster 140 also has the same configuration as the adjuster 40 described in Embodiment 1. Therefore, the detailed configuration of the tongue position regulating device 150 is omitted here, as it should be referred to in the description of the tongue position regulating device 50 described in Embodiment 1.

[0048] In the dental instrument 100 according to Embodiment 2, each end of the wire 160 forming the support 151 of the tongue position regulating device 150 is inserted through each insertion hole 133 and fixed in a position adjustable manner by the adjuster 140. As a result, the support 151 is installed between the left and right parts of the denture base 130, and the contact body 152 provided in its central part contacts the patient's tongue.

[0049] Thus, the dental device 100 integrates the oral treatment device 110 and the tongue position regulating device 150, and can be attached to the patient in this integrated state. This can, for example, promote nasal breathing during sleep in elderly people and is expected to improve swallowing function. In other words, during sleep, the tip of the tongue is normally in contact with the back of the front teeth, but when dentures are removed before sleeping, the tongue position tends to shift towards the throat, making mouth breathing more likely. Therefore, by wearing the dental device 100 according to this disclosure, which combines dentures (oral treatment device 110) and the tongue position regulating device 150, during sleep, it is possible to suppress mouth breathing and promote nasal breathing, and at the same time, regulate the tongue position to improve swallowing function, etc.

[0050] (Variation 1) Figure 5 is a diagram showing a modified example 1, and is a schematic diagram showing a tongue position regulating device 250 that can be used in place of the tongue position regulating device 50 of the dental instrument 1 of Embodiment 1 or the tongue position regulating device 150 of the dental instrument 100 of Embodiment 2. In the following, the case in which the tongue position regulating device 250 is used in place of the tongue position regulating device 50 for the dental instrument 1 according to Embodiment 1 will be explained as an example.

[0051] This tongue position regulating device 250 has a support body 251 and a contact body 252. The support body 251 is configured as if the support body 51 according to Embodiment 1 had been divided into left and right halves and composed of two wires, and has a first wire 261 on the left and a second wire 262 on the right.

[0052] The left-side first wire 261 has a first portion 261a, a second portion 261b, a third portion 261c, and a fourth portion 261d. The first portion 261a forms the tip of the first wire 261 and is located near the center of the oral cavity, extending in a straight line in the left-right direction. The second portion 261b extends approximately backward from the left end of the first portion 261a (similar to the left second portion 62 in Figures 2A and 2B) and is in a straight line. The third portion 261c is U-shaped, folded back from the rear end of the second portion 261b (similar to the left third portion 63 in Figures 2A and 2B). The fourth section 261d forms the base end of the first wire 261 and extends approximately forward from the front end of the third section 261c (similar to the fourth section 64 on the left in Figures 2A and 2B), forming a straight line.

[0053] The second wire 262 on the right side has a first portion 262a, a second portion 262b, a third portion 262c, and a fourth portion 262d. The first portion 262a forms the tip of the second wire 262 and is located near the center of the oral cavity, extending in a straight line in the left-right direction. The second portion 262b extends approximately backward from the right end of the first portion 262a (similar to the right second portion 62 in Figures 2A and 2B) and is in a straight line. The third portion 262c is U-shaped, folded back from the rear end of the second portion 262b (similar to the right third portion 63 in Figures 2A and 2B). The fourth section 262d forms the base end of the second wire 262 and extends approximately forward from the front end of the third section 262c (similar to the fourth section 64 on the right in Figures 2A and 2B) and is in a straight line.

[0054] Furthermore, the end of the first portion 261a of the first wire 261 on the left side is bent by approximately 90 degrees to form a bent portion 261f. Similarly, the end of the first portion 262a of the second wire 262 on the right side is also bent by approximately 90 degrees to form a bent portion 262f. In addition, the extension direction of the bent portion 261f (forward in Figure 5) and the extension direction of the bent portion 262f (rearward in Figure 5) are in different directions from each other.

[0055] The contact body 252 is made of a synthetic resin material and integrally covers the first portion 261a of the first wire 261 and the first portion 262a of the second wire 262. More specifically, the first portion 261a and the first portion 262a are placed parallel to each other and close together, and their relative positions in the left-right direction are appropriately adjusted, and then they are covered with, for example, a putty-like epoxy resin, and the resin is hardened to form the contact body 252. As a result, the relative position and relative orientation of the first wire 261 and the second wire 262 are fixed (held) by the hardened contact body 252. Furthermore, by embedding each bent portion 261f, 262f within the contact body 252, it is possible to prevent the first wire 261 and the second wire 262 from coming loose or being displaced relative to the contact body 252. The attachment of the contact body 252 to the first wire 261 and the second wire 262 may be achieved by insert molding as described in Embodiment 1.

[0056] By adopting such a support 251, the manufacturing of dental instruments 1 (and dental instruments 100) becomes easier. That is, when the support constituting the tongue position regulating device 50 is formed from a single bent wire 60 as shown in Figures 2A and 2B, the position and dimensions in the front-to-back, up-and-down, and left-to-right directions must be adjusted to match the individual oral cavity shape of the patient. Therefore, it is not easy to form the support 51 using a single continuous wire.

[0057] In contrast, with the support 251, the wire can be divided into a first wire 261 and a second wire 262, and the width dimension of the support 251 can be easily adjusted by adjusting the position of each end (first portion 261a, 262a) and fixing it with a resin member. Therefore, for example, the front-to-back and top-to-bottom specifications of the two wires 261 and 262 can be adjusted separately, and then the width dimension of these two wires 261 and 262 with their specifications adjusted can be adjusted. Thus, dental instruments equipped with tongue position regulating devices adjusted to suit the patient can be manufactured relatively easily.

[0058] When applying the support 251 according to this modified example 1 to the dental instrument 1 according to Embodiment 1, it may be applied in combination with the adjuster 40, or it may be applied without the adjuster 40. Similarly, when applying the support 251 according to Modified Example 1 to the dental instrument 100 according to Embodiment 2, it may be applied in combination with the adjuster 40, or it may be applied without the adjuster 40.

[0059] Incidentally, the tongue position regulating devices 50, 150, and 250 applied to the dental instrument 1,100 described above may have different shapes depending on the degree of improvement in tongue position (for example, the progress of tongue position correction). For example, the tongue position regulating devices shown in Figures 1, 2, 4, and 5 are used from the start of tongue position correction to the first stage of correction. Then, in the second stage, when correction has progressed, a dental instrument employing a tongue position regulating device with the contact body positioned further back may be used, and in the final third stage, when correction has progressed even further, a dental instrument employing a tongue position regulating device with the contact body positioned even further back and lower may be used. In this way, it is preferable for proper tongue position correction to have different shaped tongue position regulating devices available for each patient according to the progress of correction.

[0060] Furthermore, while retainers or night guards (oral treatment device 10) and dentures (oral treatment device 110) were given as examples of oral treatment devices that constitute dental instruments together with tongue position regulating devices, the examples are not limited to these. Splints are a broader concept (major category) that includes retainers, night guards, and dentures. Therefore, various instruments from the subcategories (minor categories) included in splints can be used as oral treatment devices. In addition to the retainers, night guards, and dentures mentioned above, minor categories of instruments included in splints include sports mouthguards, sleep care for the treatment of sleep apnea syndrome, and teeth whitening (whitening trays) used in teeth whitening treatments.

[0061] Furthermore, oral treatment devices may include those not classified as splints. For example, an "expansion plate" fitted to the maxilla may qualify as an oral treatment device. Expansion plates are primarily orthodontic devices for children, correcting the alignment and skeletal structure of the maxilla by pressing the maxilla teeth outward. Such expansion plates can also be selected as oral treatment devices to be provided together with tongue position regulating devices in the dental devices disclosed herein. There are various types of expansion plates, including screw-type expansion plates mainly for widening the spacing between the left and right dental arches, screw-type rapid expansion plates that widen both the spacing between the dental arches and the maxilla skeletal structure, and fixed quad helix plates that are not screw-type, but the types of expansion plates that can be adopted as oral treatment devices in this disclosure are not particularly limited.

[0062] (Modification 2) Figure 6 is a diagram showing a modified example 2, and is a schematic diagram showing a dental instrument 300 equipped with an oral treatment device 310 that can be used in place of the oral treatment device 10 or oral treatment device 110 described above. In the following, the case in which the oral treatment device 310 is used in place of the oral treatment device 10 in the dental instrument 1 according to Embodiment 1 will be explained as an example.

[0063] The dental instrument 300 of the modified example 2, as shown in Figure 6, comprises an oral treatment device 310, which is, for example, a retainer or night guard, and a tongue position regulating device 50. The oral treatment device 310 has a mouthpiece 20 and extensions 30, 30. The oral treatment device 310 is placed on the patient's upper jaw and has a biasing part 70 that contacts the occlusal or distal surface of the mandibular teeth to bias the mandible forward.

[0064] Specifically, in the mouthpiece 20, a first biasing portion 71, which is an example of a biasing portion 70, is provided in the portion that covers the 6th to 8th teeth, starting from the anterior teeth, namely the first molar T6, the second molar T7, and the third molar T7, and that occludes with the corresponding teeth in the mandible. This first biasing portion 71 contacts the occlusal surface of each molar in the mandible when the patient's upper and lower jaws come into contact.

[0065] Furthermore, the contact surface of the first biasing portion 71 with each mandibular molar is substantially the same shape as the occlusal surface of each maxillary molar, and is positioned slightly (for example, a few millimeters) forward of the occlusal surface of each molar. Therefore, when the patient closes their mouth and the first biasing portion 71 contacts each mandibular occlusal surface, the mandible is offset forward. In other words, the patient's mandible is positioned further forward relative to the maxilla than when the maxillary molars and mandibular molars are in direct occlusion.

[0066] The mouthpiece 20 also has a second biasing portion 72, which is another example of the biasing portion 70. The second biasing portion 72 is located on the posterior side of the maxillary third molar T7 in the mouthpiece 20 and has a shape that protrudes downward. When the patient closes their mouth, this second biasing portion 72 abuts against the distal surface, which is the posterior surface of the mandibular third molar, and biases this third molar forward. In other words, the patient's mandible is positioned further forward relative to the maxilla than when each maxillary molar and each mandibular molar are in direct occlusion.

[0067] Thus, the dental instrument 300 of the modified example 2 has a biasing part 70 that biases the mandible forward when the patient closes their mouth. As a result, for example, when a patient wearing this dental instrument 300 sleeps, the mandible is slightly shifted forward (if necessary, using a mouth-closing tape in conjunction will be more effective). When the mandible shifts forward, the airway opens more easily, nasal breathing is promoted, and saliva secretion increases. Since patients try to swallow saliva as a physiological response even during sleep, increased saliva secretion leads to an increase in the number of swallows. The swallowing motion involves pushing the tongue upward towards the palate (for example, the posterior soft palate), so the opportunities for contact with the contact body 52 of the tongue position regulating device 50 increase, and the tongue muscles are effectively strengthened.

[0068] In the above example, the biasing portion 70 is provided with a first biasing portion 71 and a second biasing portion 72, but it is not limited to this, and it may be provided with only one of the first biasing portion 71 and the second biasing portion 72. Also, the mouthpiece 20 of the oral treatment device 310 does not have to be configured to cover all of the teeth of the upper jaw, for example, it may be configured to cover only the molars. Furthermore, the first biasing portion 71 does not have to be provided in the part corresponding to all three molars of the upper jaw, and may be provided in only a part of them.

[0069] (others) The embodiments of this application are as described above, and they correspond to the disclosures of the embodiments described below.

[0070] A dental instrument according to a first aspect of this disclosure comprises an oral treatment device that is detachably attached to the maxillary teeth or the position of maxillary teeth of a patient and is used to perform a predetermined procedure in the oral cavity; and a tongue position regulating device that has a support connected to the oral treatment device and a contact body supported by the support and in contact with the lingual body or root of the patient's tongue, and is used to regulate the tongue position, which is a procedure different from the predetermined procedure.

[0071] Furthermore, in the first embodiment, the dental instrument according to the second aspect of the present disclosure is a retainer for regulating the position of teeth during orthodontic treatment, comprising a mouthpiece fitted over the upper teeth and left and right extensions extending from the left and right portions of the mouthpiece toward the center along the patient's palate, wherein the support of the tongue position regulating device may be installed between the left and right extensions.

[0072] Furthermore, in the third aspect of the present disclosure, the dental instrument, in the first aspect, is an oral treatment device which is a night guard for alleviating sleep disturbances of the patient, comprising a mouthpiece which is fitted over the upper teeth, and left and right extensions which extend from the left and right portions of the mouthpiece toward the center along the patient's palate, and the support of the tongue position regulating device which is mounted between the left and right extensions.

[0073] Furthermore, in the first embodiment, the dental instrument according to the fourth aspect of the present disclosure is a denture fitted to a missing tooth in the maxilla of the patient, comprising artificial teeth in corresponding positions on the left and right sides, and a denture base that supports the artificial teeth, wherein the support of the tongue position regulating device is installed between the left and right denture bases.

[0074] Furthermore, in any of the first to fourth embodiments, the dental instrument according to the fifth aspect of the present disclosure includes, in the support, a first wire having a proximal end connected to the oral treatment device near one of the left or right gums and a tip located near the center of the oral cavity, and a second wire having a proximal end connected to the oral treatment device near the other of the left or right gums and a tip located near the center of the oral cavity, and the contact body may have a resin member that integrally covers the tip of the first wire and the tip of the second wire.

[0075] Furthermore, in any of the first to fifth embodiments, the dental instrument according to the sixth aspect of the present disclosure may further include an adjuster for adjusting the connection length of the end of the wire connected to the oral treatment device near one of the left or right gums, and the connection length of the end of the wire connected to the oral treatment device near the other of the left or right gums.

[0076] Furthermore, in any of the first to sixth embodiments, the dental instrument according to the seventh aspect of this disclosure may have a biasing portion provided on the patient's maxilla that contacts the occlusal or distal surface of the mandibular teeth to bias the mandible forward. [Industrial applicability]

[0077] This disclosure can be applied to dental instruments used to treat patients' oral cavities. [Explanation of symbols]

[0078] 1,100,300 dental instruments 10,110,310 Oral treatment devices 30 Extension section 40,140 Adjuster 50,150,250 Tongue position regulating device 51,151,251 Support 52,152,252 Contact body 60,160 Wire rod 70. Biasing section 261 1st wire rod 262 2nd wire rod

Claims

1. An oral treatment device that is detachably attached to the patient's upper teeth or the position of the upper teeth, and is used to perform a predetermined procedure in the oral cavity, A tongue position restricting device for restricting tongue position, which is a procedure different from the predetermined procedure, comprising a support connected to the oral treatment device, and a contact body supported by the support and in contact with the lingual body or root of the patient's tongue, A dental instrument equipped with [a specific feature / feature].

2. The oral treatment device is a retainer for regulating the position of teeth during orthodontic treatment, and comprises a mouthpiece that is fitted over the upper teeth, and left and right extensions that extend from the left and right portions of the mouthpiece toward the center along the patient's palate. The support body of the tongue position regulating device is installed between the left and right extensions. The dental instrument according to claim 1.

3. The oral treatment device is a night guard for alleviating sleep disturbances of the patient, and comprises a mouthpiece fitted over the upper teeth, and left and right extensions extending from the left and right portions of the mouthpiece toward the center along the patient's palate. The support body of the tongue position regulating device is installed between the left and right extensions. The dental instrument according to claim 1.

4. The oral treatment device is a denture fitted to the missing teeth in the upper jaw of the patient, and comprises artificial teeth in corresponding positions on the left and right sides, and a denture base that supports the artificial teeth. The support of the tongue position regulating device is installed between the left and right denture bases. The dental instrument according to claim 1.

5. The support is a wire stretched between the left gum area and the right gum area, and the wire comprises a first wire having a proximal end connected to the oral treatment device near one of the gums and a tip located near the center of the oral cavity, and a second wire having a proximal end connected to the oral treatment device near the other gum area and a tip located near the center of the oral cavity. The contact body has a resin member that integrally covers the tip of the first wire and the tip of the second wire. The dental instrument according to claim 1.

6. The support is a wire installed between the vicinity of the left gum and the vicinity of the right gum. The tongue position regulating device further includes an adjuster for adjusting the connection length of the end of the wire connected to the oral treatment device near one of the left or right gums, and the connection length of the end of the wire connected to the oral treatment device near the other of the left or right gums. The dental instrument according to claim 1.

7. The oral treatment device is provided on the patient's upper jaw and has a biasing part that contacts the occlusal or distal surface of the mandibular teeth to bias the mandible forward. The dental instrument according to claim 1.

Images