Swallow Control Oral Appliance for Jaw Alignment and Posture
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current technologies do not effectively address the relationship between swallowing and posture, particularly in improving upper and lower jaw positioning, strength, and athletic performance, as they fail to combine mouth exercises with appliances to correct biomechanical imbalances caused by muscle imbalances.
Innovation Solution
A method and system combining specific swallowing exercises with oral appliances, such as mouth-guards and troughs, to retrain jaw muscles and maintain a correct bite position, improving posture and athletic performance by aligning the upper and lower jaw and increasing throat volume.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If mechanical appliances are used to change jaw relationship and straighten teeth, then tooth position and jaw alignment are improved, but the relationship between swallowing and posture is not addressed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple functions into a single oral appliance system that simultaneously addresses jaw alignment, swallowing mechanics, and posture correction. The appliance integrates tooth positioning capabilities with swallow bite establishment, merging orthodontic and postural functions that were previously treated separately.
Solution Approach 2:
The oral appliance is designed to perform multiple functions: it acts as both an orthodontic device for tooth alignment and a postural correction device by establishing the swallow bite position. This multi-functional approach allows one appliance to address both dental and postural issues.
2Reliability
If mouth-guards are used for protection in contact sports, then injury prevention is improved, but jaw positioning and posture are not considered
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the protective function of traditional mouth-guards with the jaw positioning function of orthodontic appliances. The resulting device provides both impact protection and controlled jaw positioning to establish the swallow bite, particularly beneficial for athletes.
3Manufacturing precision
If orthodontic appliances are used to correct jaw deformities, then tooth position is improved, but swallowing exercise and muscle retraining are not integrated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines passive orthodontic appliances with active swallowing exercises into an integrated treatment protocol. The appliance provides structural guidance while the exercises train the muscles, creating a comprehensive approach that addresses both positional and functional aspects of jaw deformities.
4Reliability
If traditional mouth-guards are used, then athletic protection is provided, but biomechanical balance and athletic performance are not improved
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges protective mouth-guard functionality with performance-enhancing jaw positioning. By establishing the swallow bite position, the appliance optimizes biomechanical balance and throat volume, which in turn improves athletic performance while maintaining protection.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system effectively improves biomechanical balance, posture, and athletic performance by retraining jaw muscles and maintaining a correct bite position through the combination of exercises and appliances, addressing muscle imbalances and deformities like retrude bite and gummy smile.
Implementation Method 1
Using heat moldable thermoplastics, some embodiments of the device can be formed in the patient's mouth after heating in hot water.
Data Source
AI summary
A method and system for training a patient to improve swallowing, for retraining jaw muscles and for holding or keeping the jaw in a correct bite position. All of this in-turn causing an improvement in posture and increase strength. The system includes a combination of exercise and oral apparatus pieces or mouth-guards to retrain and balance the facial muscles and to develop a correct swallow. The mouth-guards of the present invention can improve biomechanical imbalance, posture and in turn athletic performance. A particular embodiment of an oral apparatus of the present invention includes top and bottom troughs for receiving top and bottom teeth into the apparatus. The troughs can be adapted to hold the upper canine teeth lower than the central and lateral incisor teeth and hold the upper teeth outside the lower teeth from the incisors to the molars. The apparatus can be pre-fabricated or custom made for a particular patient. Using heat moldable thermoplastics, some embodiments of the device can be formed in the patient's mouth after heating in hot water.