Intraoral device

Abstract

This invention relates to an intraoral device. [Solution] An oral device comprising an antiviral and / or antibacterial and / or antifungal ion-releasing agent material, wherein when the oral device is exposed to the oral cavity and to any gas, liquid, or solid passing through the oral cavity, it can inactivate viruses and / or bacteria and / or fungi that have entered the oral cavity.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of oral devices. More particularly, the present invention relates to oral devices having antiviral and / or antibacterial and / or antifungal properties.

Background Art

[0002] Due to the efficient and sustainable spread of the coronavirus caused by the transmission of small droplets inhaled into the lungs of others after being exhaled by an infected person, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the United States recently recommended wearing a wide range of masks to block the infection of the coronavirus in droplets released during breathing.

[0003] Personal protective equipment (PPE) is generally a very important element for personal safety against any harmful pathogens that are airborne, waterborne, foodborne, or transmitted by contact. Pathogens such as bacteria, viruses, fungi, and microbes can be transmitted from person to person through various routes including airborne droplets, exhalation / inhalation, respiration, saliva, sneezing, coughing, and direct contact, but are not limited to these. In addition, it is also possible to be infected with pathogens through water and food, as well as due to unsanitary conditions.

[0004] Here, the term "microbe" refers to bacteria, viruses, fungi, "germs" or any other type. For the purposes of the present invention, those skilled in the art will understand that these terms can be used interchangeably when referring to any infectious pathogen and / or germ that can potentially cause disease.

[0005] While masks that cover the mouth and nose are helpful in protecting against viruses and bacteria such as coronavirus, users face several difficulties while wearing them, including difficulty breathing, fogging of glasses, reduced auditory signals during conversations and difficulty in judging others' facial expressions, as well as psychological distancing between people, particularly between healthcare workers and patients. Mask use is often interrupted by intermittently removing the mask. Many mask users report difficulties with continuous use, which leads to wearing suboptimal masks, such as not completely covering the mouth and / or nose, making the user more susceptible to infection. Furthermore, since some infectious diseases are transmitted through food, air, saliva, water, and hands (not droplets), wearing a mask does not provide protection in such cases (e.g., when eating). [Overview of the Initiative] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0006] The object of the present invention is to provide a passive means of protecting the user (and those around them) using a continuous wearable device that can be removed without causing inconvenience.

[0007] Another object of the present invention is to provide a reliable means other than masks for blocking infection by viruses and / or bacteria, such as coronavirus.

[0008] A further object of the present invention is to provide a means other than a mask that minimizes infection by viruses and / or bacteria, such as coronavirus, without significantly interfering with the performance of normal daily activities. Furthermore, the device can be operated continuously but can also be removed. Because the device is inconspicuous, it can be worn continuously and is considerably less likely to be removed (or misused) compared to general masks, which are often used in an inadequate manner. In this respect, the device is an effective equivalent to the use of a normal mask. It fulfills its function.

[0009] Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent as this specification progresses. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] According to embodiments of the present invention, the device is not intended to replace a mask, but rather to complement the use of a mask. While masks are generally intended to prevent the transmission of disease, the device is intended to protect the user and others in close proximity.

[0011] According to embodiments of the present invention, the device is a solid dental clip comprising an antiviral and / or antibacterial material that is removable and engages with a dental structure.

[0012] According to embodiments of the present invention, the solid clip is a dental clip in the shape of a loop.

[0013] According to embodiments of the present invention, the clip is configured as a continuous single loop, and the surrounding elements completely enclose the dental structure.

[0014] According to embodiments of the present invention, the peripheral element completely surrounds one or more tooth units.

[0015] According to embodiments of the present invention, the peripheral element completely surrounds one or more tooth units of a pair of dentures.

[0016] According to embodiments of the present invention, the peripheral element completely surrounds one or more tooth units of the dental bridge.

[0017] According to embodiments of the present invention, the peripheral element comprises two opposing interdental elements, two opposing buccolingual elements, and a curved portion that extends continuously between the corresponding interdental elements and buccolingual elements.

[0018] According to embodiments of the present invention, the device is an insert made of an antiviral and / or antibacterial material and embedded in the denture base of a pair of dentures that extend through the dental arch. According to embodiments of the present invention, the insert extends in the interdental direction. According to embodiments of the present invention, the insert extends in the interdental direction through the dental arch.

[0019] According to embodiments of the present invention, the antiviral and / or antibacterial agent material is in the form of a metal foil covering the shape of a tooth.

[0020] According to embodiments of the present invention, the antiviral and / or antibacterial agent material is a restorative material that can be applied to tooth tissue from which caries lesions have been removed.

[0021] According to another embodiment of the present invention, the device can be attached to a complete or partial denture or any other existing intraoral appliance. Such intraoral appliances include, but are not limited to, implants, crowns, posts, bridges, retainers, braces, fillings, restorations, sealants, and orthodontic appliances.

[0022] According to another embodiment of the present invention, an antiviral / antibacterial agent may be incorporated into existing materials used to manufacture dental devices and / or other intraoral dental materials, such as fillings, alloys, and amalgams used in dental procedures.

[0023] According to embodiments of the present invention, the device is chewing gum made of an antiviral and / or antibacterial agent material.

[0024] According to embodiments of the present invention, the device is a dental sealant comprising an antiviral and / or antibacterial and / or antifungal agent material.

[0025] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the device is adapted to be mounted on a complete denture or a partial denture or any other existing intraoral device, or on at least one artificial or non-artificial tooth.

[0026] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the device further includes at least one cartridge containing an ion-releasing material.

[0027] According to an embodiment of the present invention, at least one cartridge is replaceable.

[0028] According to an embodiment of the present invention, at least one cartridge contains a combination of two or more different types of ion-releasing materials.

[0029] In another aspect, the device is adapted to receive at least one replaceable cartridge containing an ion-releasing material.

Advantages of the Invention

[0030] The present invention provides an intraoral device containing an antiviral and / or antibacterial and / or antifungal agent material that can inactivate viruses and / or bacteria and / or fungi by exposing the dental structure to the oral cavity where the dental structure is located, and to gases, liquids and solids passing through the oral cavity, and by contacting the viruses and / or bacteria and / or fungi entering the oral cavity with the gases, liquids or solids. Thus, a major advantage of the device is that it can prevent viruses (or other forms of microscopic pathogens) from entering the user's body through the oral cavity (e.g., before reaching the lungs or other internal organs).

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0031] [Figure 1A] FIG. 1A is a diagram showing an intraoral device in the form of an antiviral and / or antibacterial clip for a single tooth disposed on a single tooth according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 1B] Figure 1B shows an intraoral device in the form of an antiviral and / or antibacterial clip for multiple teeth, arranged on multiple teeth, according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is a magnified view of the antiviral and / or antibacterial clip of Figure 1B with a transparent tooth display, according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] Figure 3 shows an intraoral device in the form of a denture equipped with an antiviral and / or antibacterial insert, according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4A] Figure 4A shows an intraoral device in the form of a mouthguard equipped with a metal strip, according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4B] Figure 4B shows the mouthguard of Figure 4A, positioned on the upper teeth, according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] Figure 5 shows an intraoral device according to an embodiment of the present invention, comprising an antiviral and / or antibacterial ion-releasing agent material in the form of a metal foil covering the molars. [Figure 6] Figure 6 shows an antiviral and / or antibacterial ion-releasing agent material in the form of a filler material. [Figure 7] Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of an intraoral device, according to an embodiment of the present invention, which is made of an antiviral and / or antibacterial ion-releasing material and is positioned around a tooth. [Figure 8] Figure 8 is a schematic diagram showing an intraoral device, according to an embodiment of the present invention, which is positioned around a tooth and includes a replaceable antiviral and / or antibacterial ion-emitting cartridge. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0032] Currently, transition metals in groups 11 and 12 of the periodic table, such as copper, zinc, and silver, have been found to release ions effective in fighting viruses. Copper ions, in particular, appear to be the most effective against viruses like COVID-19.

[0033] According to several embodiments, the present invention relates to an oral device adapted to release ions that fight viruses in the oral cavity. When a person is infected with a virus and / or bacteria, the oral device containing one or more of the above metals inactivates the virus and / or bacteria. Protecting the user from pathogens at the most common points of entry into the body, namely the mouth and nostrils, provides the best line of defense against disease.

[0034] According to embodiments of the present invention, the proposed oral appliance is adapted to be removably engaged with teeth and / or dental structures to ensure the presence of antiviral ions in the oral cavity over a long period of time and to reduce the risk of infection if the user becomes infected with viruses and / or bacteria at the same time as the oral appliance is removed from the oral cavity. According to another embodiment of the present invention, the proposed appliance is periodically replaced with a new one or replenished (for example, it may be discolored and thus release the amount of antiviral ions that has been reduced).

[0035] As described herein, the proposed apparatus may be essentially composed of one or more antiviral ion-emitting metals, or may be adapted to accept replaceable disposable insert elements (e.g., cartridges) containing a predetermined amount thereof.

[0036] The mechanisms by which copper and silver (and many other metals and alloys) confer antimicrobial resistance are currently an active area of ​​research. Nevertheless, the antimicrobial properties of copper and silver have been demonstrated in numerous studies.

[0037] Solid copper (Cu), silver (Ag), copper(I) oxide (Cu2O), copper(II) oxide (CuO2O) ), silver nitrate (AgNO3), silver oxide (Ag2O), copper(II) chloride (CuCl2), copper chloride Various types of antiviral ion-releasing metals, including (I)(CuCl), zinc oxide, silver nitrate (AgNO3), and silver sulfide (Ag2S), are suitable for the present invention. According to some embodiments, the above antiviral and / or antibacterial materials can be incorporated into polymers. Alternatively, any of the above may be incorporated into a nanoparticle coating containing particles with a diameter of 50-75 nm, which may be made, for example, from polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and its derivatives.

[0038] All of the above materials are provided for inactivating dangerous microorganisms. For example, Solanki G. High Copper Amalgam Alloys in Dentistry. Int J Pharmacol Res. 2012;2(1):66-68 discloses that high copper is now preferred over low copper alloys due to their improved mechanical properties, corrosion resistance, better marginal integrity, and improved performance in clinical trials. High copper has even greater strength, corrosion resistance, durability, and resistance to discoloration compared to low copper amalgams.

[0039] Figures 1A and 1B show an intraoral device in the form of a clip attached to a denture, generally represented by the number 10, and are made from a material containing an antiviral agent, whether it is a mixture (i.e., different parts of the clip 10 are made of different materials, as shown in Figure 2, or the clip 10 or its parts are made of a composite alloy of two or more materials) or a single-component product. The clip 10 is configured as a continuous ring-shaped band adapted to be fixed to a dental structure 5, for example, a single tooth (Figure 1A) or multiple teeth (Figure 1B), whether it is an upper tooth 2 or a lower tooth 3. Multiple clips can be engaged simultaneously with the corresponding dental structure.

[0040] Clip 10 may be customized to the dimensions of a specific user's dental structure. Alternatively, clip 10 may be a general-purpose product suitable for many different users.

[0041] The clip 10 (as best seen in Figure 2) has two spaced interdental elements, a facial element 7 and a lingual element 9, as well as two buccal-lingual elements, a posterior element 11 and an anterior element 13. The generally concave curved portion 14, viewed from the crown direction, extends continuously from the interdental elements onto the occlusal surfaces of adjacent buccal-lingual elements that are positioned coronally relative to the interdental elements, such as their mesiodistal surfaces.

[0042] The rigidity of the antiviral and / or antibacterial material, as well as the spacing between opposing elements, gives the clip 10 sufficient flexibility to facilitate attachment to the dental structure 5. If desired, the interdental elements 7 and 9 and the buccal-lingual elements 11 and 13 may be made of a hard material, and the curved portion 14 may be made of a soft material. Alternatively, the entire clip 10 may be made of a soft material.

[0043] The ring-shaped band covers only a small portion of the dental structure 5 and therefore does not interfere with the function of the dental structure 5. When the clip 10 is shown to engage with the dental structure 5, interference with the tooth surface is minimized, for example, by positioning the interdental elements 7 and 9 at the gingival margin 4 and not completely covering the occlusal surface 6 with the buccal-lingual elements 11 and 13.

[0044] A small container for slowly releasing a hygienically useful material or drug into the oral cavity to neutralize the taste of antiviral and / or antibacterial agents when they engage with dental structures can be attached to clip 10.

[0045] In the embodiment shown in Figure 3, the intraoral appliance is configured as an insert 32 for a pair of dentures 31. The insert 32 is mounted inside a denture base 33 that is fitted to engage with the edentulous torsion. For example, the insert 32 may be made of copper.

[0046] In the embodiments shown in Figures 4A and 4B, the oral device is configured as a mouthguard 20 comprising antiviral and / or antibacterial agents in the form of bands, for example, copper and silver bands indicated by the numbers 22 and 25, respectively.

[0047] Figures 5 and 6 illustrate intraoral devices according to embodiments of the present invention, in which an antiviral and / or antibacterial agent can be applied in or over at least one tooth. For example, Figure 5 shows an intraoral device comprising an antiviral and / or antibacterial agent material in the form of a metal foil 30 covering the shape of a tooth. In other embodiments, the intraoral device is configured as a metal foil covering a molar (not shown). Figure 6 shows an intraoral device as a restorative and / or filling material 40 applicable to tooth tissue from which carious lesions have been removed.

[0048] According to embodiments of the present invention, the oral device is configured as a sealant comprising an antiviral and / or antibacterial and / or antifungal agent material. For example, the sealant is antiviral The sealant may take the form of a thin resin coating applied to the tooth surface using suspended nanoparticles made of ruth and / or antibacterial and / or antifungal materials. According to some embodiments of the present invention, the coating may have color, and therefore it is considered most reasonable to apply the coating to less visible surfaces of the tooth, such as the back of the molars or the back of the incisors. The sealant may adhere to the cavities and grooves of the tooth, forming a protective shield over the enamel of each tooth.

[0049] Figure 7 schematically shows an intraoral device 70, according to an embodiment of the present invention, made from an antiviral and / or antibacterial ion-releasing material and positioned around a tooth 71. The intraoral device 70 is an example of a removable metal device molded around the tooth 71. The device 70 may be made from one material or more materials (e.g., a combination of copper and silver).

[0050] Figure 8 schematically shows an intraoral device 80 including a replaceable antiviral and / or antibacterial ion-emitting cartridge positioned around a tooth 71. The device 80 is adapted to receive cartridges containing ion-emitting material (e.g., indicated by the numbers 81-84). In this embodiment, the device 80 includes a groove 85 into which the antiviral ion-emitting cartridge 81 is mounted, and which is removable (e.g., by sliding it across the entire groove 85) and replaceable with other antiviral ion-emitting cartridges (e.g., by cartridges 82, 83, or 84). Of course, each of the cartridges 81, 82, 83, and 84 may contain different types of ion-emitting material according to their desired effect. For example, cartridge 82 may contain copper, cartridge 83 may contain silver, and cartridge 84 may contain a combination of two or more materials (e.g., copper and silver). The relevant ion-emitting metals can be easily embedded in cartridges 81-84 and used within the device 80, while future research may discover useful effects correlated with the presence of specific ions.

[0051] According to embodiments of the present invention, the device 80 may be semi-permanent (i.e., semi-permanent means that the device 80 can be bonded to the tooth but can be removed by some force, for example, by a dental professional).

[0052] According to embodiments of the present invention, devices 70 and 80 are adapted to be removably attached to the user's oral cavity. For example, device 80 may be made of a polymer material and be molded to fit around at least one tooth (for example, removably attached to a tooth 71 or other suitable dental structure in the user's oral cavity by a special adhesive material suitable for use in the human oral cavity). In this example, device 80 includes a polymer substrate that adheres to the tooth, and the metal cartridges 81-84 are easily replaceable.

[0053] While several embodiments of the present invention have been described for illustrative purposes, it will be apparent that the present invention can be implemented by those skilled in the art without exceeding the claims, through numerous modifications, variations, and adaptations, and by the use of numerous equivalents or alternative solutions.

Claims

1. An oral device comprising an antiviral and / or antibacterial and / or antifungal ion-releasing agent material, The oral device, when exposed to the oral cavity and to any gas, liquid, or solid passing through the oral cavity, is capable of inactivating viruses and / or bacteria and / or fungi that enter the oral cavity.

2. The antiviral and / or antibacterial ion-releasing agent material is solid copper (Cu), silver (Ag), copper(I) oxide (Cu) 2 O), copper(II) oxide (CuO), silver nitrate (AgNO) 3 ), silver oxide (Ag 2 O), copper(II) chloride (CuCl 2 ), copper(I) chloride (CuCl), zinc oxide, silver nitrate (AgNO) 3 ), and silver sulfide (Ag 2 The apparatus according to claim 1, comprising S) in combination with natural / synthetic polymers and / or ceramics, or one or more of any combination thereof.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, comprising a removable dental clip comprising an antiviral and / or antibacterial material that engages with a dental structure.

4. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the apparatus is a clip in the shape of a loop.

5. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the clip is configured as a continuous single loop and the surrounding elements completely surround the dental structure.

6. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the peripheral element completely surrounds one or more tooth units.

7. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the peripheral elements completely surround one or more tooth units of a pair of dentures.

8. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the peripheral elements completely surround one or more tooth units of a dental bridge.

9. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the peripheral element includes two opposing interdental elements, two opposing buccolingual elements, and a curved portion that extends continuously between the corresponding interdental elements and buccolingual elements.

10. The device according to claim 1, comprising an insert made of the antiviral and / or antibacterial agent material, which is embedded in the denture base of a pair of dentures extending through the dental arch.

11. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the insert extends in the interdental direction.

12. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the insert extends in the interdental direction through the dental arch.

13. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the antiviral and / or antibacterial agent material is in the form of a tooth and covers the shape of the tooth.

14. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the antiviral and / or antibacterial agent material is a restorative material applied to tooth tissue from which carious lesions have been removed.

15. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus is adapted to be mounted on a complete denture, a partial denture, or another existing oral appliance, or on at least one artificial or non-artificial tooth.

16. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising at least one cartridge containing an ion-emitting material.

17. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein at least one of the cartridges is replaceable.

18. The apparatus according to claim 16 or 17, wherein the at least one cartridge includes a combination of two or more different types of ion-emitting materials.

19. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus is adapted to receive at least one replaceable cartridge containing an ion-emitting material.

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