Shell-shaped dental appliance

Abstract

This invention discloses a shell-shaped dental instrument for anti-snoring, comprising a first shell-shaped body, a first repositioning jaw element disposed in the posterior tooth region of the first shell-shaped body, a second shell-shaped body, and a second repositioning jaw element disposed in the posterior tooth region of the second shell-shaped body. The first repositioning jaw element includes a first base, a first locking portion, and a first locking cavity. The second repositioning jaw element includes a second base, a second locking portion, and a second locking cavity. The outer contour dimension of the first protrusion of the first locking portion is smaller than the inner contour dimension of the second locking cavity, and the outer contour dimension of the second protrusion of the second locking portion is smaller than the inner contour dimension of the first locking cavity. The second protrusion can slide within the first locking cavity, wherein the second protrusion can slide within a preset range in both the sagittal and gingival-maxillary directions to improve patient comfort. This invention also discloses a dental orthodontic system.

Claims

1. A shell-shaped dental instrument for snoring prevention, comprising: A first shell-like body that accommodates the patient's maxillary teeth and a second shell-like body that accommodates the patient's mandibular teeth; The first shell-shaped body has a first repositioning jaw element extending toward the opposing jaw on each of the two posterior tooth regions. The first repositioning jaw element includes a first base connected to the first shell-shaped body. The first base extends toward the opposing jaw and has a first locking portion. The first locking portion includes a first protrusion disposed at the free end of the first locking portion and a first connecting portion connecting the first protrusion and the first base. The first protrusion, the first connecting portion and the first base together form a first locking cavity with an opening toward the mesial direction. The second shell-shaped body has second repositioning jaw elements extending towards the opposing jaw on both sides of the posterior tooth region. Each second repositioning jaw element includes a second base connected to the second shell-shaped body. The second base extends towards the opposing jaw and has a second locking portion. The second locking portion includes a second protrusion at its free end and a second connecting portion connecting the second protrusion and the second base. The second protrusion, the second connecting portion, and the second base together form a second locking cavity with an opening facing distally. The outer contour dimension of the first protrusion is smaller than the inner contour dimension of the second locking cavity. The outer contour dimension of the second protrusion is smaller than the inner contour dimension of the first locking cavity. The first connecting portion has a first guide surface on its mesial side and the second connecting portion has a second guide surface on its distal side. When worn, the first and second repositioning jaw elements cooperate to move the patient's mandible forward in the sagittal direction to a preset position that can open the patient's airway: the first protrusion is housed in the second locking cavity, the surface of the first protrusion facing the mesial side at least partially abuts against the second guide surface, the second protrusion is housed in the first locking cavity, and the surface of the second protrusion facing the distal side at least partially abuts against the first guide surface; the projection of the first guide surface on the horizontal plane has a first preset length in the sagittal direction, and the projection of the first guide surface on the coronal plane has a first preset height in the gingival-maxillary direction; when the second protrusion slides along the first guide surface, it causes the second guide surface to slide relative to the first protrusion, wherein the second protrusion can slide within a second preset length in the sagittal direction, and simultaneously, it can slide within a second preset height in the gingival-maxillary direction, the second preset length being less than the first preset length, and the second preset height being less than the first preset height.

2. The shell-shaped dental instrument for snoring as described in claim 1, wherein, The first preset height satisfies the following condition: when the second protrusion slides along the first guide surface upwards to one end of the first guide surface near the first protrusion, the gap between the incisal edges of the maxillary anterior teeth and mandibular anterior teeth in the upwards gingival direction is within a preset gap range.

3. The shell-shaped dental instrument for snoring prevention as described in claim 1, wherein, The lower surface of the first protrusion facing the opposing jaw and the upper surface of the second base facing the opposing jaw are a set of surfaces with matching contours. The lower surface of the first protrusion facing the opposing jaw and the upper surface of the second base facing the opposing jaw are in surface contact when they come into contact. And / or, the upper surface of the second protrusion facing the opposing jaw and the lower surface of the first base facing the opposing jaw are a set of surfaces with matching contours. The upper surface of the second protrusion facing the opposing jaw and the lower surface of the first base facing the opposing jaw are in surface contact when they come into contact.

4. A shell-shaped dental instrument for snoring prevention as described in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein, The first base and the second base each cover at least two-thirds of the lateral width of one tooth in their respective posterior region in the mesiodistal direction.

5. A shell-shaped dental instrument for snoring prevention as described in claim 1, wherein, The distal ends of both the first and second repositioning jaw elements do not extend beyond the mesial end of the penultimate tooth position in the patient's posterior dentition.

6. The shell-shaped dental instrument for snoring prevention as described in claim 4, wherein, The first shell-shaped body has a first occlusal pad protruding towards the opposing jaw on the occlusal surface of at least one tooth in the posterior tooth region on both sides; the protrusion height of the first occlusal pad is used to open the anterior tooth region of the patient's upper and lower jaws to a first target height; or, the second shell-shaped body has a second occlusal pad protruding towards the opposing jaw on the occlusal surface of at least one tooth in the posterior tooth region on both sides; the protrusion height of the second occlusal pad is used to open the anterior tooth region of the patient's upper and lower jaws to a second target height.

7. The shell-shaped dental instrument for snoring prevention as described in claim 1, wherein, The first shell-shaped body has a third occlusal pad protruding towards the opposing jaw on the occlusal surfaces of the two posterior tooth regions. The second shell-shaped body has another fourth occlusal pad protruding towards the opposing jaw on the occlusal surfaces of the two posterior tooth regions corresponding to the position of the third occlusal pad. When worn, the top surface of the third occlusal pad facing the opposing jaw and the top surface of the fourth occlusal pad facing the opposing jaw bite each other. The total height of the protrusions of the third occlusal pad and the fourth occlusal pad is used to open the anterior tooth region of the patient's upper and lower jaws to the third target height.

8. The shell-shaped dental instrument for snoring prevention as described in claim 6, wherein, When the first shell-shaped body is provided with the first jaw pad, the side of the first repositioning jaw element near the tooth and the side of the first jaw pad near the first repositioning jaw element are adjacent to each other; when the second shell-shaped body is provided with the second jaw pad, the side of the second repositioning jaw element near the tooth and the side of the second jaw pad near the second repositioning jaw element are adjacent to each other.

9. A shell-shaped dental instrument for snoring prevention as described in claim 8, wherein, When the first shell-shaped body is provided with a first jaw pad, a first transition portion is also provided between the side of the first repositioning jaw element near the tooth and the side of the first jaw pad near the first repositioning jaw element, and the first transition portion is supported on the occlusal surface of the tooth covered by the first repositioning jaw element; when the second shell-shaped body is provided with a second jaw pad, a second transition portion is also provided between the side of the second repositioning jaw element near the tooth and the side of the second jaw pad near the second repositioning jaw element, and the second transition portion is supported on the occlusal surface of the tooth covered by the second repositioning jaw element.

10. The shell-shaped dental instrument for snoring prevention as described in claim 9, wherein, The first transition portion is provided with a first reinforcing ridge for strengthening the mechanical strength of the first transition portion. The first reinforcing ridge is formed by the first transition portion being concave or convex towards the distal or mesial tooth side, and has a plurality of groove structures or protrusion structures extending in the mesiodistal direction or buccal-lingual direction. And / or, the second transition portion is provided with a fourth reinforcing ridge for strengthening the mechanical strength of the second transition portion. The fourth reinforcing ridge is formed by the second transition portion being concave or convex towards the distal or mesial tooth side, and has a plurality of groove structures or protrusion structures extending in the mesiodistal direction or buccal-lingual direction.

11. The shell-shaped dental instrument for anti-snoring as described in claim 9, wherein, The first repositioning jaw element has a second reinforcing ridge on its side surface to enhance its mechanical strength. This second reinforcing ridge is formed by a plurality of grooves or protrusions extending along the gingival direction, created by the concave or convex shape of the side surface of the first repositioning jaw element. And / or, the second repositioning jaw element also has a fifth reinforcing ridge on its side surface to enhance its mechanical strength. This fifth reinforcing ridge is formed by a plurality of grooves or protrusions extending along the gingival direction, created by the concave or convex shape of the side surface of the second repositioning jaw element. And / or, the first jaw pad has a third reinforcing ridge to enhance its mechanical strength. This third reinforcing ridge is formed by a plurality of grooves or protrusions extending along the gingival direction, created by the concave or convex shape of the surface of the first jaw pad. And / or, the second jaw pad also has a sixth reinforcing ridge on its surface to enhance its mechanical strength. This sixth reinforcing ridge is formed by a plurality of grooves or protrusions extending along the gingival direction, created by the concave or convex shape of the surface of the second jaw pad.

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