EP1560547A2 - Embout buccal pour reduire le ronflement - Google Patents

Embout buccal pour reduire le ronflement

Info

Publication number
EP1560547A2
EP1560547A2 EP03752154A EP03752154A EP1560547A2 EP 1560547 A2 EP1560547 A2 EP 1560547A2 EP 03752154 A EP03752154 A EP 03752154A EP 03752154 A EP03752154 A EP 03752154A EP 1560547 A2 EP1560547 A2 EP 1560547A2
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
mouthpiece
person
mouthpiece body
mold
anterior end
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP03752154A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Inventor
Christopher B. Zacco
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Individual
Original Assignee
Individual
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Priority claimed from US10/289,588 external-priority patent/US6619290B1/en
Application filed by Individual filed Critical Individual
Publication of EP1560547A2 publication Critical patent/EP1560547A2/fr
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61F—FILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; PROSTHESES; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF, TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, e.g. STENTS; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; FOMENTATION; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS; BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; FIRST-AID KITS
    • A61F5/00—Orthopaedic methods or devices for non-surgical treatment of bones or joints; Nursing devices; Anti-rape devices
    • A61F5/56—Devices for preventing snoring
    • A61F5/566—Intra-oral devices

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to the field of sleep aids and, more particularly, to. a mouthpiece for helping to reduce snoring in a wearer, the mouthpiece having a thermoplastic portion and a thermostable portion.
  • Snoring is an unconscious activity which is often not even noticed by the person who snores, but is typically quite bothersome to those sleeping nearby.
  • Medical references define snoring as a rough, rattling, inspiratory noise generally produced by vibration of the pendulous palate, or sometimes by the vocal cords, during sleep.
  • Snoring may be produced as a rale, especially a whistling or sonorous rale produced in the larger bronchi orthe trachea. This condition is caused by some narrowing of the upper airway passages, such that when the person is asleep, the airflow is somewhat obstructed and must be forced.
  • the present invention advantageously provides a thermoplastic mouthpiece which may be custom fitted directly by the user to conform to his or her natural dental arch.
  • the mouthpiece is reusable, but intended to be disposable at the user's discretion.
  • the mouthpiece includes an opening at an anterior portion of the mouthpiece, the portion which keeps the wearer's lips spaced apart when the mouthpiece is properly worn in the mouth and which functions as an airway opening. With the lips slightly apart, the anterior opening allows free airflow in and out of the wearer's mouth, thereby helping to reduce snoring.
  • the invention also includes a removable plug inserted into the airway opening to help support the opening during heating of the mouthpiece and during the imprinting of teeth by the user. Additionally, this removable plug may be used as a handle when inserted in the airway opening of the mouthpiece, for the user to pick up the mouthpiece during heating and during use.
  • the wearer heats the mouthpiece until its thermoplastic portion softens sufficiently for biting down on the mouthpiece to imprint the wearer's teeth pattern thereon.
  • the mouthpiece includes a protective mold along a lower surface, the mold optionally extending upwardly to also protect lateral surfaces of the mouthpiece.
  • the protective mold is thermostable and is an integral unitary piece of the mouthpiece together with the thermoplastic portion, thus the mold does not soften when the mouthpiece is heated, which is preferably accomplished by placing the mouthpiece in a hot water bath for a few minutes.
  • the wearer When the thermoplastic portion of the mouthpiece softens and cools a bit, the wearer inserts the device into the mouth such that it is substantially aligned with the dental arch, and gently bites down on the mouthpiece to thereon make an impression with his teeth.
  • the thermostable protective mold prevents the teeth from leaving an imprint. This helps maintain a proper angle of inclination between the spaced apart lower and upper surfaces of the mouthpiece, and it is this angle which is most helpful in keeping the wearer's lips apart during sleep, and thus help the airway to stay open.
  • the wearer inserts the mouthpiece into his mouth when preparing for sleep and removes the airway opening plug to provide unobstructed passage of air.
  • the mouthpiece may lack an airway opening.
  • FIG. 1 shows an overall view of a sleeper wearing the mouthpiece according to an embodiment of the present invention
  • FIG. 2 is a top perspective view of the mouthpiece of FIG. 1 ;
  • FIG. 3 shows a side elevation of the present mouthpiece;
  • FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the inventive mouthpiece;
  • FIG. 5 is a bottom plan view of the mouthpiece of FIG. 4;
  • FIG. 6 illustrates various aspects of a method of the present invention
  • FIG. 7 shows another embodiment of the present mouthpiece
  • FIG. 8 is a cutaway lateral view showing the mouthpiece of FIG 7 as worn by a user
  • FIG. 9 is a top plan view of the mouthpiece of FIG. 7;
  • FIG. 10 is a bottom plan view of the mouthpiece of FIG. 9;
  • FIG. 11 illustrates a kit containing several of the mouthpieces of FIG. 1 as might be offered at retail; and
  • FIG. 12 shows a method of the invention of FIG. 1.
  • FIGS. 1-12 illustrate the various aspects of the inventive mouthpiece herein described.
  • the invention discloses a mouthpiece 20 for use by a person during sleep to aid in reducing snoring.
  • the mouthpiece 20 comprises a mouthpiece body
  • the present mouthpiece may be provided without an airway opening. This alternate embodiment is intended to aid in reducing teeth grinding.
  • the mouthpiece 20 additionally includes a substantially rigid portion or protective mold 32 made of a thermostable material, the protective mold being complementary to the mouthpiece body 22 so that the mold protects at least lower surfaces 34 and preferably also lateral 36 surfaces of the mouthpiece body, as illustrated in FIGS. 6A-D.
  • the mold may be a discrete piece separable from the mouthpiece, or may be an integral, unitary non-separable piece therewith.
  • the present mouthpiece includes a removable plug 33 inserted in airway opening 30 and protruding therefrom. Plug 33 serves at least two purposes. First, it provides support so as to protect the integrity of airway opening 30 during heating of the mouthpiece and while the user bites down on the mouthpiece to imprint the teeth thereon.
  • the removable plug 33 serves as a handle by which the user may pick up the mouthpiece, which is useful in placing and removing the mouthpiece in a hot water bath, and in inserting the mouthpiece in the mouth.
  • Plug 33 may be discarded by the user after imprinting teeth on the mouthpiece, or may be replaced in the airway opening 30 after use of the mouthpiece for continued use as a handle.
  • the present mouthpiece 20 is preferably provided for retail sale in at least three general sizes, small, medium, and large, to custom fit a wide range persons having differently sized mouths.
  • a typical retail kit 21 for sale of the mouthpiece 20 is shown in FIG. 11.
  • the mouthpiece body 22 has a lower surface 34 and an upper surface 38 spaced apart therefrom at an angle " ⁇ " which increases from the posterior end 24 to the anterior end 28 of the mouthpiece body.
  • the angle of inclination " ⁇ " between the upper 38 and lower 34 surfaces of the mouthpiece body 22 is of importance in keeping the wearer's mouth and lips sufficiently open to allow unimpeded airflow through the anterior airway opening 30.
  • angle " ⁇ " of from about 10° to 20° has been found preferable, depending on the anterior-posterior overall length of the mouthpiece, which will somewhat vary from small to medium to large mouthpieces. Those skilled in the art will recognize, however, that angle " ⁇ " may be changed according to the size of the wearer's mouth, and that the range indicated above is given solely for purposes of illustration and not for limiting the invention.
  • FIGS.7-10 Another embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIGS.7-10, wherein the mouthpiece body 22 further comprises a tubular airway opening 31 extending outwardly from the anterior end airway opening 30.
  • This embodiment of the mouthpiece body best shown in use in FIG. 8, would be particularly useful for wearers having large, heavy, or especially protruding lips which might extend over the anterior end of the first embodiment of the mouthpiece as shown in FIGS. 1-6.
  • the skilled will readily understand that it is important to keep the wearer's lips sufficiently spaced apart to maintain the proper function of the airway opening 30 at the anterior end of the mouthpiece.
  • FIG. 6 and FIG. 12 Method aspects of the present mouthpiece invention are shown in FIG. 6 and FIG. 12, and include a method of reducing snoring during sleep.
  • the method starts 40 by heating 42 a mouthpiece body 22 made of a thermoplastic material and having a shape generally complementary to the person's dental arch.
  • the mouthpiece body 22 includes a posterior end 24 having two spaced apart members 26 positioned toward the back of the person's dental arch when properly worn, and an anterior end 28 having an airway opening 30 therethrough, the anterior end positioned when properly worn to support the person's lips spaced apart so that air flows through the opening.
  • the mouthpiece 20 further includes a substantially rigid portion or protective mold 32 made of a thermostable material, the protective mold being complementary to the thermoplastic portion of the mouthpiece body.
  • the protective mold portion 32 is an integral, unitary piece with the mouthpiece body portion 22 so that the mold protects at least lower and preferably also lateral peripheries of the thermoplastic portion. Heating 42 of the mouthpiece body is preferably accomplished in a hot water bath and continues until the thermoplastic material has softened.
  • the method continues by inserting 44 the mouthpiece into the mouth of a person so that the thermoplastic mouthpiece portion is substantially aligned with the person's dental arch, and imprinting 46 the person's teeth along a surface of the thermoplastic mouthpiece portion not protected by the thermostable mold portion 32 by biting down on the mouthpiece.
  • the user preferably picks up the mouthpiece by the removable plug 33 when heating it and when inserting it into the user's mouth, thereafter removing the plug to leave an unobstructed airway opening.
  • the method calls for wearing 48 the mouthpiece body 22 in the person's mouth during sleep, which when properly positioned the mouthpiece is substantially aligned with the person's dental arch and is held between the teeth, so that the person's lips are supported by the anterior end 28 of the mouthpiece body 22 to allow the person to breathe through the airway opening 30 in the anterior end of the mouthpiece body.
  • the method thereafter ends 50.
  • thermostable protective mold portion 32 being integral with the thermoplastic mouthpiece body portion 22 will prevent teeth from imprinting along the lower surface 34 of the thermoplastic mouthpiece, thereby maintaining the lower surface relatively flat.
  • the wearer's teeth will, however, imprint along the upper thermoplastic surface 38 of the mouthpiece, so as to provide a guide pattern for wearing the mouthpiece and to reduce slipping of the mouthpiece body 22 in the wearer's mouth.
  • the relatively flat lower surface 34 of the mouthpiece body 22 helps in maintaining angle " ⁇ " in proper proportion, as it has been found that if the wearer imprints teeth along both upper 38 and lower 34 surfaces by biting down thereon, the angle " ⁇ " tends to be substantially reduced due to the depressions formed along both upper and lower surfaces of the mouthpiece. Imprinting teeth along only one surface reduces this possible variation at least in half, while still producing an easily wearable mouthpiece custom fitted to the wearer's dental arch. In addition, in a user who tends to grind his/her teeth while sleeping, the relatively flat lower surface 34 of the mouthpiece body 22 will allow the teeth to more easily slide relative to the mouthpiece surface.
  • the relatively flat lower surface of the present mouthpiece will also help alleviate such stress in the TMJ and neck area.
  • thermostable protective mold portion 32 has been described herein with respect to a lower surface 34 of the mouthpiece body 22, and imprinting has been described as occurring along the upper surface 38 of the mouthpiece, the wearer may prefer to turn the mouthpiece device upside down for imprinting. In such a case, the protective mold 32 would appear to engage an upper surface of the mouthpiece, and the teeth pattern would be imprinted along what might be described as a lower surface of the mouthpiece. Accordingly, the terms "upper” and “lower” are used herein to illustrate the invention for the skilled and are not intended to limit the invention to such an orientation.
  • the inventive mouthpiece herein described is, therefore, usable in any applicable orientation, at the user's discretion or preference.

Landscapes

  • Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Otolaryngology (AREA)
  • Pulmonology (AREA)
  • Nursing (AREA)
  • Orthopedic Medicine & Surgery (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Biomedical Technology (AREA)
  • Heart & Thoracic Surgery (AREA)
  • Vascular Medicine (AREA)
  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Animal Behavior & Ethology (AREA)
  • General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Public Health (AREA)
  • Veterinary Medicine (AREA)
  • Orthopedics, Nursing, And Contraception (AREA)

Abstract

La présente invention a trait à un embout buccal et un procédé pour réduire le ronflement comportant un corps d'embout en matière thermoplastique présentant une forme globalement complémentaire à l'arcade dentaire d'une personne, comprenant une extrémité postérieure ayant deux organes espacés positionnés vers l'arrière de l'arcade dentaire de la personne lorsqu'il est porté correctement et une extrémité avant présentant une ouverture traversante de voie aérienne, l'extrémité avant étant positionnée lorsqu'il est porté correctement pour maintenir les lèvres de la personnes espacées permettant le passage de l'air à travers l'ouverture de voie aérienne, et un moule de protection sensiblement rigide réalisé en un matériau thermostabile, le moule de protection protégeant au moins une périphérie du corps de l'embout buccal.
EP03752154A 2002-11-07 2003-09-08 Embout buccal pour reduire le ronflement Withdrawn EP1560547A2 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (7)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US289588 2002-11-07
US10/289,588 US6619290B1 (en) 2002-11-07 2002-11-07 Mouthpiece for reducing snoring
US43941703P 2003-01-10 2003-01-10
US439417P 2003-01-10
US46341703P 2003-04-16 2003-04-16
US463417P 2003-04-16
PCT/US2003/028234 WO2004043288A2 (fr) 2002-11-07 2003-09-08 Embout buccal pour reduire le ronflement

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP1560547A2 true EP1560547A2 (fr) 2005-08-10

Family

ID=32314850

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP03752154A Withdrawn EP1560547A2 (fr) 2002-11-07 2003-09-08 Embout buccal pour reduire le ronflement

Country Status (5)

Country Link
EP (1) EP1560547A2 (fr)
AU (1) AU2003270461A1 (fr)
CA (1) CA2505364A1 (fr)
MX (1) MXPA05004944A (fr)
WO (1) WO2004043288A2 (fr)

Families Citing this family (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US8578937B2 (en) 2004-09-21 2013-11-12 Medtronic Xomed, Inc. Smart mandibular repositioning system
US7882842B2 (en) 2004-09-21 2011-02-08 Pavad Medical, Inc. Airway implant sensors and methods of making and using the same
US7836888B2 (en) 2004-09-21 2010-11-23 Pavad Medical, Incorporated Airway implant and methods of making and using
AT502927A1 (de) * 2005-03-29 2007-06-15 Elmar Karg Mundverschlusshilfe
BE1023871A9 (fr) * 2016-02-26 2017-08-31 Antonio Cavaleri Dispositif pour réduire des nuisances sonores liées au ronflement

Family Cites Families (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5365945A (en) * 1993-04-13 1994-11-22 Halstrom Leonard W Adjustable dental applicance for treatment of snoring and obstructive sleep apnea
US5570704A (en) * 1993-10-28 1996-11-05 Snoreless Corp Universal, user-adjustable oral cavity appliance to control snoring and reduce episodes of obstructive sleep apnea

Non-Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
See references of WO2004043288A3 *

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
MXPA05004944A (es) 2006-03-08
AU2003270461A8 (en) 2004-06-03
WO2004043288A3 (fr) 2004-10-14
CA2505364A1 (fr) 2004-05-27
AU2003270461A1 (en) 2004-06-03
WO2004043288A2 (fr) 2004-05-27

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