120 results about "Mouthguard" patented technology

A performance enhancing and force absorbing mouthguard adapted to fit the upper teeth of the mouth of an athlete wherein the mouthguard is of a composite material. The first internal layer is a nonsoftenable flexible framework which will permit the mouthguard to hold its shape during fitting as well as to absorb and dissipate significant impact conveyed to the upper teeth. The framework includes hard, durable bite plate wedges which lower the condyle from the temporomandibular joint in a fulcrum action to place the lower jaw in an optimum condition preventing impingement upon the nerves and arteries as well as spacing the upper and lower teeth apart. Elastomeric traction pads are on the bottom of the mouthguard and are grippingly engaged by the posterior teeth of the lower jaw. The elastomeric pads extend forwardly to form an anterior impact brace on the front of the mouthguard. While the framework and traction pads are mechanically interlocked, a softenable material is placed over the mouthguard excepting the contact portions of the traction pads and anterior impact brace to encapsulate the mouthguard and to permit custom fitting.

A custom mouthguard has a resilient U-shaped body with an anterior wall and a posterior wall. A post dam on the posterior wall forms a seal with palatal tissue to increase retention of the mouthguard in a wearer's mouth. The increased retention allows a wearer to speak and open mouth breath while wearing the mouthguarrd. The mouth guard also has an indexed region that serves to mutually stabilize maxillary teeth, mandibular teeth, mandible and TMJ components. Mouthguard methods and processes are also disclosed.

A mouthguard for use by athletes in competition and the like, including a first portion formed from a ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer material and having a teeth engaging shape and having a freezing point of less than 130° F. The first portion is formed into a tray having a generally U-shape with a tab extending out from the tray. The tray has a plurality of holes therein. A second portion formed from a block styrene copolymer is mounted on the first portion such that part of the second portion extends through the plurality of holes in the first portion to lock the two portions together. The second portion is formed from a gel material having sufficient softness to protect the user from damage during use in the athletic competition.

A mouth guard composed of a polymer consisting essentially of polycaprolactone exhibits a low softening point, enabling it to be easily custom-fitted by the user or a health professional. The material is provided in the form of a generally U-shaped, unformed sheet of material, enabling the material to be heated with hot water or microwave energy and custom-fitted to the dentition of a user. The mouth guard may be perforated and may include a no-stick layer and/or a flavoring agent. A plurality of mouth guards may be provided in different sizes for children and adults and different shapes for different sports. In the preferred embodiments the mouth guard has a periphery including a plurality of lobes and cusps to enhance fitting. A method of fabricating an improved mouth guard according to the invention is also disclosed.

A mouthguard device for use by an athlete in competition and the like, using a resilient material formed into a mouthguard and a flavor agent incorporated into the resilient material prior to formation thereof into the mouthguard. The preferred mouthguard has a two tray system that includes the flavoring agent in the tray contacting the user's taste buds. Preferred flavors are selected from citrus types such as lemon, lime, orange, and grapefruit, ginger types, berry types such as raspberry, strawberry, and blueberry, and mint types such as peppermint, spearmint, and wintergreen. Also preferred are flavoring agent includes a combination of at least two flavoring agents, and particularly wherein the combination is selected from spearmint/orange, cinnamon/clove/orange, and lemon/mint or, wherein the combination is any flavoring agent and a small amount of citrus.

The present invention is an improved mouthguard which has incorporated into it at least one and preferably a multiplicity of breathing holes which extend from the front of the mouthguard which can protrude through the wearer's mouth into the air and also provide a passageway for the air to travel to the wearer's throat while the mouthguard is gripped between the wearer's teeth. As a result, the wearer is able to breathe through the wearer's mouth while gripping the mouthguard between the wearer's teeth to protect the teeth during an athletic event.

A mouthguard to protect an arch of a user includes an outer wall covering a buccal surface of teeth. The outer wall includes a force absorbing inner layer, a force absorbing outer layer and a force transmitting layer positioned therebetween the force absorbing inner layer and the force absorbing outer layer. An inner wall is positioned opposite the outer wall to cover a palatal surface of the teeth, and includes the force absorbing inner layer and the force absorbing outer layer. A lower wall is disposed between the outer wall and the inner wall to cover an occlusal surface of the teeth. The lower wall includes the force absorbing inner layer and the force absorbing outer layer. The outer wall, inner wall and lower wall form a U-shaped channel that is molded into the shape of the arch. The method of making the mouthguard includes the steps of casting a model of a user's arch, molding a force absorbing inner layer of material to the model to form a force absorbing inner layer of the mouthguard. The method also includes the steps of molding a force-transmitting layer of material over the force absorbing inner layer in a predetermined position, and molding a force absorbing outer layer of material over the force absorbing inner layer and force transmitting layer. The method further includes the steps of finishing the mouthguard to conform to the arch of the user.

A dental device comprises an intraoral nasal dilator and a mandibular repositioner working synergistically as an anti-snoring device. The device has a lower segment of thermoplastic material which is formed to fit over the lower teeth and is connected to an upper section of molded material extending between the upper jaw and the upper lip by a wire connector. The wire connector has mechanisms allowing adjustment of the lower jaw positioning. A wire extension with acrylic pads at end is bonded in the midline of the flange and extends out so that the pads stretch the tissue of the lip and lateral nasal walls preventing collapse during respiration while the anterior repositioning of the lower jaw maintains opening of the posterior pharyngeal airway during sleep functioning as an anti-snoring device. Additional applications of the intraoral nasal dilator include incorporation into sports mouth guards using a variety of materials.

The present invention is an improved mouthguard which has incorporated into it at least one and preferably a multiplicity of breathing holes which extend through an exterior sidewall, an interior sidewall and/or through a bottom transverse wall in the body of the mouthguard. The mouthguard can also have incorporated into it at least one and preferably a multiplicity of breathing cavities extending from an upper surface of an exterior and/or interior sidewall into a portion of the sidewall to form one or more air passages.

A mouthguard apparatus is disclosed herein. In various aspects, the mouthguard apparatus includes an electronics package adapted to attach removably to a dental appliance. The dental appliance may be configured to be secured within the mouth of a user. At least portions of the electronics package adapted to extend external to a mouth of the user when the electronics package is attached to the dental appliance and the dental appliance is secured within the mouth of the user, in various aspects. Related methods are disclosed herein. This Abstract is presented to meet requirements of 37 C.F.R. §1.72(b) only. This Abstract is not intended to identify key elements of the apparatus and methods disclosed herein or to delineate the scope thereof.

A phototherapy mouthpiece includes a mouthguard including a light source and a power pack extending power therethrough a cable to the light source mounted for converting the power to red or near-red photon light, in order to convert the photon energy to proton-motive energy in the gum margin, so that gum cells can replicate to heal gum tissue. The mouthguard portion forms a plurality of recesses and air ducts to enhance oral osmosis. Optionally, a power pack based light source can deliver red or near red photon light through an optic cable to achieve the same proton-motive energy effect, but with less load on the jaw.

A mouthguard (10) of “C” shaped configuration having a forward portion (11) from which there rearwardly diverges a pair of arms (12). The mouthguard (10) in transverse cross section is of a “U” shaped configuration. In one embodiment each arm (12) is provided with a ridge (22) which acts as a shield, while the forward portion (11) is thickened so as to provide a labial shield (23).

A portable, battery-powered UV sanitizer kills germs and bacteria on the mouthpieces of tethered mouthguards of a wide variety of tether sizes and configurations and on the mouthpieces of untethered mouthguards. It doubles as a protective case when not in antimicrobial use. It includes a dishwasher safe detachable tray. It may be used with other dental appliances.

This invention relates to a protective mouthguard for use by athletes that incorporates a color customizable feature, allowing users to customize the visible color of the mouthguard. The invented protective mouthguard has a u-shaped base that will fit inside of a user's mouth. The front surface of the mouthguard can be visible when the mouthguard is worn by the user inside of his mouth. A colorable strip is placed inside a cavity in the front wall of the mouthguard and is visible through holes that are placed in the front wall.

A plastic mouthpiece insert for allowing a wearer to whiten their teeth while getting a suntan, and have a generally oblong oval-rectangular opening with a curved rear end that abuts against the root surfaces of the frontal upper and lower teeth of the wearer. A raised front edge can protect the lips and separate in place about the opening to the mouthpiece. Whitening agents can be used to enhance the whitening effect so that ultraviolet light and heat source such as the sun or a sunlamp is all that it is needed. Reflective inner walls in the mouthpiece can magnify light to the teeth. The mouthpiece can include bite tables, and the side walls of the mouthpiece can be inwardly flared and funnel shaped for focusing and magnifying incoming light and heat. The mouthpiece can be colored to protect the inside of the wearer's mouth from receiving any light. An attachable *and detachable compact hands-free light source can also be used. The light source can clip on the front of the mouthguard so that the mouthguard can allow for teeth whitening without the need for a suntanning lamp or use of the sun or other exterior light sources. The attached light source allows the user to use the mouthguard and not be restricted to staying in one place. With the attached light source the user is free to use both their hands and do all other types of activities and be able to freely move around.

A single use, disposable, oxygen mask having an integral mouthguard/bite-block, and an oxygen intake port having a right angle is placed centrally on a side of the mask along with a right angle port to facilitate an endoscopic procedure. A patient biting down on the bite-block portion of the mouthguard keeps the mask in place. The mask has a concave shaped body that fits over and around the nose and mouth of the patient. An exhaler side port is provided on an opposite side of the mask.

An improved mouthguard provides shock absorption for the jaw, teeth, and head to reduce the risk of injury when a user encounters a blow to the jaw. The improved mouthguard may comprise a generally U-shaped body having upwardly extending flanges which surround the arch of a user's teeth. An anterior section of the U-shaped body may have padding integrated therein to protect the front teeth. Posterior sections of the U-shaped body may have a thickened portion having one or more adjacent perforations or openings to increase shock absorption. The improved mouthguard may also have an inner layer of material configured to form impressions of the user's teeth to provide a custom fitting mouthguard. The inner layer and U-shaped body may be formed with a similar or the same curing process such that the inner layer and U-shaped body are permanently bonded together as the inner layer sets.

A mouthguard has a flexible frame, and has bite tabs extending from the rear surface of the frame for engaging the wearer's teeth. The bite tabs include anterior bite tabs for engaging the wearer's front teeth. A narrow split may be provided between the anterior bite tabs that allows the bite tabs to maintain their flexibility. The flexible frame lays against the outer surface of the teeth and extends into the buccal folds superiorly and interiorly of the cheek where the muscles hold it in place. Grooves may be positioned lengthwise along the frame above and below the bite tabs for purposes of flexibility and to allow the muscles of the cheek to press the upper and lower extensions of the frame close to the bone for better retention and comfort. The teeth engage the bite tabs, thus preventing the teeth from clashing together and protecting the temporomandibular joint (TMJ). One or more air holes may be provided in the front portion of the mouthguard permit easy breathing. The mouthguard is retained by the muscles of the lips and cheeks, causes no gag reflex, and is simple, comfortable and protective.