JP2023032703A - Mouth piece - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a mouth piece capable of achieving preferable attachment feeling, suppressing deformation and breakage, and accurately positioning relatively, upper jaw and lower jaw mouth pieces.SOLUTION: A mouth piece comprises: upper jaw and lower jaw mouth pieces; and a position adjusting part for attaching a male screw to one of the upper jaw and lower jaw mouth pieces, attaching a female screw to the other thereof, for adjusting a position of the lower jaw mouth piece to the upper jaw mouth piece in a cross direction, by engagement of the male and female screws. The upper jaw mouth piece has an upper support part for supporting the position adjusting part, the lower jaw mouth piece has a lower support part for supporting the position adjusting part, and to at least one of the upper and lower support parts, an attachment part attached to a tooth row is detachably attached.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

The present invention relates to mouthpieces.

Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome is said to be caused mainly by lowering of the lower jaw and obstruction of the airway. Therefore, various mouthpieces have been proposed to improve obstructive sleep apnea syndrome. These mouthpieces restrict the rearward displacement of the user's mandible and keep the airway wide, thereby improving sleep apnea and snoring.

For example, Patent Literature 1 proposes a mouthpiece having an upper jaw mouthpiece, a lower jaw mouthpiece, and a metal connecting member that connects them. In this mouthpiece, the relative positions of the maxillary mouthpiece and the mandibular mouthpiece are adjusted by the connecting member, and the mandible of the user wearing the mouthpiece is displaced forward. The maxillary mouthpiece and the mandibular mouthpiece are constructed of hard material.

Further, Patent Literature 2 describes a mouthpiece having an upper jaw mouthpiece, a lower jaw mouthpiece, and a connecting member that connects them. In this mouthpiece, the coupling member adjusts the relative positions of the maxillary mouthpiece and the mandibular mouthpiece, and regulates the rearward displacement of the user's mandible. In the mouthpiece, for example, a support portion made of a hard material is joined to an upper jaw mouthpiece and a lower jaw mouthpiece made of a soft material, and the support portion supports the connecting member.

U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2007/0224567 WO2019/230152

All of the above mouthpieces are used by attaching the upper jaw mouthpiece and the lower jaw mouthpiece directly to the dentition. However, in the mouthpiece shown in Patent Literature 1, the upper jaw mouthpiece and the lower jaw mouthpiece are made of a hard material, which tends to cause discomfort to the user wearing the mouthpiece. On the other hand, if the upper jaw mouthpiece and the lower jaw mouthpiece are entirely made of a soft material in order to improve the feeling of wearing, the parts of the upper jaw mouthpiece and the lower jaw mouthpiece that come into contact with the dentition may wear out, or the parts near the connecting member may become worn. There have been problems such as damage or deformation of the maxillary mouthpiece and the mandibular mouthpiece, and the inability to adjust the relative positions of the maxillary mouthpiece and the mandibular mouthpiece (cannot be positioned).

On the other hand, in the mouthpiece shown in Patent Document 2, the upper jaw mouthpiece and the lower jaw mouthpiece can be made of a soft material, and the support portion can be made of a relatively hard material, and these are integrated. there is Such a mouthpiece does not have the above problems, but when a large force (load) is applied to the mouthpiece due to, for example, bruxism or clinching, the force is not distributed and the upper jaw mouthpiece and the lower jaw mouthpiece do not work. Since it is easy to transmit to the mouthpiece, local stress is generated inside the maxillary mouthpiece and the mandibular mouthpiece, deforming it, and there are cases where accurate positioning is not possible.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems. Specifically, the object is to provide a mouthpiece that is comfortable to wear, is less likely to be damaged or deformed, and allows accurate relative positioning of the maxillary mouthpiece and the mandibular mouthpiece.

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides the following mouthpiece.
having a maxillary and mandibular mouthpiece, a male thread arranged on one mouthpiece side of said maxillary and mandibular mouthpiece, and a female thread arranged on the other mouthpiece side of said maxillary and mandibular mouthpiece, and engagement between said male thread and said female thread a position adjusting part for adjusting the position of the mandibular mouthpiece relative to the maxillary mouthpiece in the front-rear direction, and the maxillary and mandibular mouthpieces have a pair of upper and lower support parts for supporting the position adjusting part. , a mouthpiece, wherein an attachment part to be attached to a row of teeth is detachably attached to at least one of the pair of upper and lower support parts.

ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention, there is provided a mouthpiece that is comfortable to wear, is less likely to be damaged or deformed, and allows accurate relative positioning of the maxillary mouthpiece and the mandibular mouthpiece.

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a mouthpiece according to a first embodiment of the invention. FIG. 2 is a schematic exploded perspective view of the mouthpiece according to the first embodiment of the present invention. 3A is a schematic cross-sectional view of the maxillary mouthpiece of FIG. 1 along line 3A-3A, and FIG. 3B is a schematic cross-sectional view of the mandibular mouthpiece of FIG. 1 along line 3B-3B. FIG. 4 is a schematic side view of the mouthpiece shown in FIG. 1 when closed. 5 is a schematic perspective view of the position adjusting portion of the mouthpiece shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 6 is a schematic exploded perspective view of the position adjusting portion shown in FIG. 1. FIG. FIG. 7 is a schematic perspective view of a mouthpiece according to a second embodiment of the invention. FIG. 8 is a schematic exploded perspective view of a mouthpiece according to a second embodiment of the invention. FIG. 9 is a schematic perspective view showing a modification of the mouthpiece according to the second embodiment of the invention. FIG. 10 is a schematic perspective view showing a modification of the mouthpiece according to the second embodiment of the invention. 11 is a schematic perspective view showing the upper support part and the lower support part of FIG. 10. FIG.

Hereinafter, the mouthpiece of the present invention will be described using a plurality of embodiments. In the following description, "forward" and "backward" respectively refer to the direction toward the front of the user wearing the mouthpiece (the direction toward the mouth when viewed from the body of the tongue in the oral cavity) and the rearward direction of the user. (the direction toward the throat when viewed from the body of the tongue in the oral cavity). In addition, "downward" means the downward direction of the user wearing the mouthpiece (the direction from the top of the head to the feet when the user stands upright), and "lateral direction" means the direction of use with the mouthpiece attached. Based on the midline of the user's upper jaw, it means the left and right directions toward the front of the user (specifically, the direction toward both cheeks when viewed from the midline of the upper jaw). "Outer" and "inner" mean respectively the side closer to and farther from the body surface of the user wearing the mouthpiece.

Further, in the following description, the time when the user wearing the mouthpiece closes the mouth is called "closed", and the time when the user wearing the mouthpiece opens the mouth is called "open". When the mouth is closed, the maxillary mouthpiece and the mandibular mouthpiece are arranged such that their facing surfaces are substantially parallel to each other. The pieces are arranged non-parallel such that their facing surfaces form an angle of up to about 45°.

[First Embodiment]
FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a mouthpiece 100 according to a first embodiment of the invention. FIG. 2 is a schematic exploded perspective view of mouthpiece 100 of FIG. 3A is a schematic cross-sectional view along line 3A-3A of maxillary mouthpiece 110 in FIG. 1, and FIG. 3B is a schematic cross-sectional view along line 3B-3B of mandibular mouthpiece 120 in FIG. FIG. 4 is a schematic side view of the mouthpiece 100 when closed.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, mouthpiece 100 according to the present embodiment includes upper jaw mouthpiece 110, lower jaw mouthpiece 120, and a position for adjusting the position of lower jaw mouthpiece 120 relative to upper jaw mouthpiece 110 in the front-rear direction. It has an adjustment unit 200 .

The maxillary mouthpiece 110 and the mandibular mouthpiece 120 have an upper support section 130 and a lower support section 140 (a pair of upper and lower support sections) that support the position adjustment section 200 . Attachment portions 150 and 160 to be attached to the row of teeth are detachably attached to the upper support portion 130 and the lower support portion 140, respectively.

In the mouthpiece 100 according to the present embodiment, the male screw 240 arranged on the lower jaw mouthpiece side of the position adjustment part 200 is screwed into the female screw 230 arranged on the upper jaw mouthpiece side, whereby the upper jaw mouth of the lower jaw mouthpiece 120 is screwed. Anterior-posterior relative positions with respect to piece 110 are determined, and the position of the lower jaw relative to the user's upper jaw is appropriately adjusted. Therefore, the airway is kept wide during sleep, and apnea and snoring are improved.

Attachment portions 150 and 160 to be attached to the row of teeth are detachably attached to the upper support portion 130 and the lower support portion 140, respectively. As a result, the force applied to the mouthpiece 100 is dispersed and transmitted to the entire mounting portions 150 and 160 more easily than in the case where the two are integrated, so that deformation or the like is less likely to occur. As a result, the relative positioning of the maxillary mouthpiece 110 and the mandibular mouthpiece 120 can be performed with high accuracy while improving the wearing comfort. In other words, when the two are integrated, the force applied to the hard part of the mouthpiece is easily transmitted to the soft part without being dispersed, so stress is locally generated inside the soft part. deformation may occur. On the other hand, when the two are separated, the force applied to the upper support portion 130 and the lower support portion 140 of the mouthpiece is likely to be dispersed and transmitted to the entire mounting portions 150 and 160, so that the mounting portion Local stress is less likely to occur inside 150 and 160, and deformation and the like can be suppressed.
In addition, even if the mounting portions 150 and 160 wear out due to repeated use, the mounting portions 150 and 160 can be replaced and used, so that usability can be improved. Further, by making the bending elastic modulus of the mounting portions 150 and 160 lower than the bending elastic modulus of the upper support portion 130 and the lower support portion 140, it is possible to further improve the feeling of wearing.

Each configuration of the present embodiment will be described below.

1. Maxillary Mouthpiece and Mandibular Mouthpiece As described above, the maxillary mouthpiece 110 and the mandibular mouthpiece 120 are the upper supporting part 130 and the lower supporting part 140 (a pair of upper and lower supporting parts) that support the position adjusting part 200 and can be attached to and detached from them. It has attachments 150 and 160 that are removably attached and attached to the dentition.

1-1. Upper and Lower Supports Upper and lower supports 130 and 140 are configured to removably attach mounting portions 150 and 160, respectively. For example, upper support portion 130 and lower support portion 140 have recesses 132 and 142 that can accommodate mounting portions 150 and 160, respectively (see FIGS. 2 and 3).

The upper support portion 130 and the lower support portion 140 may be configured to cover at least the bottom surface side or upper surface side and the outer surface side of the tooth row of the mounting portions 150 and 160 when the mounting portions 150 and 160 are attached. Alternatively, it may be configured to cover the inner surface side, the bottom surface side or upper surface side, and the outer surface side of the tooth row. Above all, the upper support portion 130 and the lower support portion 140 cover the inner surface side, the bottom surface side or the upper surface side, and the outer surface side of the tooth row of the mounting portions 150 and 160 when the mounting portions 150 and 160 are attached. It is preferably configured in an arcuate shape (see FIGS. 3A and B). Accordingly, not only can the mounting portions 150 and 160 be fixed more stably, but also the load can be easily distributed, so that the upper support portion 130 and the lower support portion 140 can be firmly supported.

The upper support portion 130 and the lower support portion 140 may be provided so as to cover the entire row of teeth, or may be provided so as to cover only a portion of the row of teeth. It is preferable that the upper support portion 130 and the lower support portion 140 are provided so as to cover the entire tooth row from the viewpoint of easily fixing the mounting portions 150 and 160 described later (see FIGS. 1 to 3).

The upper support part 130 preferably has a fixing part 134 that fixes the mounting part 150 (see FIG. 3A), and the lower support part 140 preferably has a fixing part 144 that fixes the mounting part 160 (see FIG. 3B). ).

The fixing portions 134 and 144 may be uneven shapes or friction surfaces (rough surfaces, etc.) provided at the contact portion with the mounting portion 150 or 160, the inclination of the inner wall surfaces of the recesses 132 and 142, or the like. For example, the contact portion of the upper support portion 130 with the mounting portion 150 (in this embodiment, the inner wall surface of the concave portion 132 of the upper support portion 130) serves as the fixing portion 134 and the contact portion of the mounting portion 150 with the upper support portion 130. (In this embodiment, the outer surface 154 of the mounting portion 150) has a complementary uneven shape (see FIG. 3A). The contact portion of the lower support portion 140 with the mounting portion 160 (in this embodiment, the inner wall surface of the concave portion 142 of the lower support portion 140) serves as the fixing portion 144, the contact portion of the mounting portion 160 with the lower support portion 140 (this In embodiments, it may have a contoured shape complementary to the outer surface 164 of the mounting portion 160 (see FIG. 3B). The uneven shape is not limited to a shape corresponding to the row of teeth. The fixed portions 134 and 144 may be provided on the entire contact portion, or may be provided only on a portion thereof.

From the viewpoint of facilitating the distribution and transmission of the force applied to the mouthpiece 100 over the entire mounting portions 150 and 160, or from the viewpoint of making it difficult for the mounting portions 150 and 160 to come off during use, the contact portion between the upper support portion 130 and the mounting portion 150 and the area of the contact portion between the lower support portion 140 and the mounting portion 160 are preferably increased. The garden surface 132c) and the inner wall surfaces of the recess 142 of the lower support portion 140 (the outer inner wall surface 142a, the inner inner wall surface 142b, and the upper surface 142c) are preferably provided with uneven shapes.

In particular, from the viewpoint of facilitating the distribution of stress, the contact area between the outer inner wall surface 132a of the recess 132 of the upper support portion 130 and the outer surface 154a of the mounting portion 150 and the outer inner surface of the recess 142 of the lower support portion 140 It is preferable to increase the contact area between the wall surface 142a and the outer surface 164a of the mounting portion 160 . For example, the outer inner wall surfaces 132a and 142a of the upper support portion 130 and the lower support portion 140 are all provided with uneven shapes, or the outer inner wall surfaces 132a and 142a are made higher than the inner inner wall surfaces 132b and 142b. It is also preferable to increase the The height of the outer inner wall surfaces 132a and 142a of the recesses 132 and 142 of the upper support portion 130 and the lower support portion 140 may or may not be substantially uniform over the entire surface, but the viewpoint of facilitating stress distribution is Then, it is preferably substantially uniform over the entire area (see FIG. 2).

In addition, from the viewpoint of facilitating attachment of the mounting portions 150 and 160 to the upper support portion 130 and the lower support portion 140, or from the viewpoint of reducing the feeling of a foreign object, the inner wall surface 132b inside the upper support portion 130 and the lower support portion 140 and the The height of 142b is preferably lower than, for example, the height of outer inner wall surfaces 132a and 142a (see FIGS. 1-3).

Moreover, the upper support part 130 and the lower support part 140 are such that when the attachment parts 150 and 160 are attached, the gum-side ends of the attachment part 150 and the attachment part 160 are covered with the upper support part 130 and the lower support part 140 . It may be provided so as not to be broken (so as to protrude) (see FIG. 1). Thereby, attachment and detachment of the attachment portions 150 and 160 can be facilitated. In addition, if the attachment portions 150 and 160 are larger than the upper support portion 130 and the lower support portion 140, the elasticity of the attachment portions 150 and 160 only makes it easier to remove the upper support portion 130 and the lower support portion 140 from the dentition. Moreover, the manufacture (molding) of the upper support portion 130 and the lower support portion 140 is facilitated. The amount of protrusion of the gum-side ends of the mounting portions 150 and 160 may be greater on the inside of the dentition than on the outside of the dentition (see FIGS. 3A and B).

From the viewpoint of making it difficult for the mounting portions 150 and 160 to come off from the upper support portion 130 and the lower support portion 140 during use, the inner wall surface 132a outside the concave portion 132 of the upper support portion 130 on the front side (for example, the first to third teeth) and the inner wall surface 132b, and the outer inner wall surface 142a and the inner inner wall surface 142b of the concave portion 142 of the lower support portion 140 are posteriorly (with respect to the dentition surface) as they go from the tip of the tooth toward the gum side. It is preferably slanted (see Figures 1, 2 and 4).

Furthermore, from the viewpoint of making it easier to attach the mounting parts 150 and 160, or from the viewpoint of making it difficult for the upper support part 130 and the lower support part 140 to directly touch the inner gums, etc., the recesses of the upper support part 130 and the lower support part 140 The angle of inclination (relative to the tooth surface) of the inner inner wall surfaces 132b and 142b of 132 and 142 is preferably greater than the angle of inclination of the outer inner wall surfaces 132a and 142a (see FIGS. 2 and 4).

The rear ends of upper support 130 and lower support 140 are preferably open (see FIGS. 1 and 2). Thereby, mounting portions 150 and 160 can be easily attached to upper support portion 130 and lower support portion 140 .

Moreover, it is preferable that the upper support part 130 and the lower support part 140 do not cover at least part of the rear ends of the mounting parts 150 and 160 (see FIG. 4). As a result, the upper support portion 130 and the lower support portion 140 having a high bending elastic modulus, for example, are less likely to come into direct contact with the rear gums or the like, thereby reducing the feeling of a foreign object.

The thicknesses of the upper support portion 130 and the lower support portion 140 have a strength capable of supporting the position adjustment portion 200, and when the user wears the mouthpiece 100, the thickness of the upper support portion 130 and the lower support portion 140 is such that when the user wears the mouthpiece 100, it is positioned on the buccal side, the tongue side, and the opposing lower jaw and upper jaw. There is no particular limitation as long as the thickness does not excessively protrude to the side. For example, from the viewpoint of ensuring sufficient strength for supporting the position adjusting portion 200 , the thickness of the upper support portion 130 and the lower support portion 140 is preferably greater than the thickness of the mounting portions 150 and 160 . Alternatively, from the viewpoint of emphasizing the reduction of foreign body sensation, the thickness of the upper support portion 130 and the lower support portion 140 may be thinner than the thickness of the mounting portions 150 and 160 .

The thickness of the upper support portion 130 and the lower support portion 140 may be uniform throughout, or may not be uniform. For example, from the viewpoint of reducing the foreign body sensation felt by the user, the thickness of the front side (incisor side, for example, the first to third teeth) of the upper support portion 130 and the lower support portion 140 is set to the rear side (molar side, for example teeth 4-8) (see FIGS. 2 and 3). Moreover, from the viewpoint of firmly supporting the position adjusting section 200, the thickness of the portion where the position adjusting section 200 is arranged is preferably thicker than the other portions.

Upper support portion 130 and lower support portion 140 comprise a material having a different flexural modulus than mounting portions 150 and 160 . For example, the upper support part 130 and the lower support part 140 are made of a highly elastic material having a higher bending elastic modulus than the thermoplastic resin composition contained in the mounting parts 150 and 160 described later, or a low elastic material having a low bending elastic modulus. can contain Above all, from the viewpoint of ensuring sufficient strength for supporting the position adjusting portion 200, the upper supporting portion 130 and the lower supporting portion 140 have a bending elastic modulus higher than that of the thermoplastic resin composition contained in the mounting portions 150 and 160. It preferably contains a high modulus material.

That is, the bending elastic moduli of the upper supporting portion 130 and the lower supporting portion 140 are preferably higher than the bending elastic moduli of the mounting portions 150 and 160 . Specifically, the lower limit of the difference between the flexural modulus of the upper support portion 130 and the lower support portion 140 and the flexural modulus of the mounting portions 150 and 160 is not particularly limited, but is preferably 1000 MPa or more, and 1500 MPa or more. Although the upper limit is not particularly limited, it is preferably 9500 MPa or less, more preferably 9000 MPa or less. The flexural modulus is measured according to JIS T6501.

The upper support part 130 and the lower support part 140 may further contain materials (fillers, additives, etc.) other than the high-elasticity material and the low-elasticity material, if necessary. The amount of the high-elasticity material or the low-elasticity material with respect to the total mass of the upper support part 130 and the lower support part 140 is preferably 50 to 100% by mass, more preferably 60 to 100% by mass, and 80 to 100% by mass. % by weight is particularly preferred. For example, when the amount of the high-elasticity material is within the above range, the upper support portion 130 and the lower support portion 140 have a sufficiently high flexural modulus, so that the position adjustment portion 200 can be easily supported.

The high-elasticity material and the low-elasticity material are not particularly limited as long as the flexural modulus satisfies the above relationship. Examples of highly elastic materials include metallic materials and (meth)acrylic resins.

The metal material may be any metal that does not easily affect the human body, examples of which include titanium, iron (steel including stainless steel), gold, silver, platinum, cobalt, chromium, and alloys thereof. The metal material may be one whose corrosion resistance is enhanced by a chemical conversion film or the like.

The (meth)acrylic resin may be any resin that mainly contains (meth)acrylate-derived units ((meth)acrylate units). The content of (meth)acrylate units is preferably 50 to 100% by mass, more preferably 60 to 100% by mass, and still more preferably 80 to 100% by mass with respect to the total amount of structural units of the (meth)acrylic resin. be. The (meth)acrylic resin may be a homopolymer of methacrylate or a copolymer of methacrylate and acrylate.

The (meth)acrylate units are preferably alkyl (meth)acrylate units. The number of carbon atoms in the alkyl portion of the alkyl (meth)acrylate unit is preferably 1-6, more preferably 1-3, still more preferably 1 or 2, and particularly preferably 1. The (meth)acrylate portion of the alkyl (meth)acrylate units is preferably methacrylate.

The (meth)acrylic resin may further contain structural units other than the (meth)acrylate unit, if necessary. Examples of structural units other than (meth)acrylate units include structural units derived from (meth)acrylic acid (preferably methacrylic acid) and structural units derived from α-olefins (preferably ethylene, propylene or butylene). included.

The (meth)acrylic resin is preferably polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) or methyl methacrylate-methacrylic acid copolymer (MMA-MAA copolymer), more preferably PMMA.

The (meth)acrylic resin preferably has a mass average molecular weight (Mw) of 10,000 to 1,000,000, more preferably 20,000 to 800,000, even more preferably 50,000 to 500,000. The mass average molecular weight (Mw) is a value measured by gel permeation chromatography (GPC) and is a polymethyl methacrylate conversion value.

1-2. Attachment Part The attachment part 150 is to be attached to the maxillary dentition and is detachably attached to the upper support part 130 . The attachment part 160 is attached to the dentition of the lower jaw, and is detachably attached to the lower support part 140 (see FIGS. 1 and 2).

The mounting portions 150 and 160 may be provided so as to cover the entire dentition, or may be provided so as to cover only a part of the dentition. From the viewpoint of facilitating transmission of the force applied to the mouthpiece due to bruxism, clinching, etc., to the mounting portions 150 and 160, it is preferable that the mounting portions 150 and 160 be provided so as to cover the entire dentition (FIG. 1). and 2).

Mounting portions 150 and 160 have recesses that can accommodate dentition. In this embodiment, the mounting portions 150 and 160 have tooth-row modeled portions 152 and 162 (concave portions) corresponding to the user's tooth row, respectively. good.

The outer surface 154 (outer surface 154a, inner surface 154b, bottom surface 154c) of the mounting portion 150 and the outer surface 164 (outer surface 164a, inner surface 164b, upper surface 164c) of the mounting portion 160 respectively correspond to the shape of the row of teeth throughout. It can have a rugged shape (see FIGS. 1-3). As described above, the uneven shape may be a shape complementary to the inner wall surface of the recessed portion 132 of the upper support portion 130 and the inner wall surface of the recessed portion 142 of the lower support portion 140, and not the uneven shape corresponding to the shape of the tooth row. may

As described above, from the viewpoint of easily distributing and transmitting the force applied to the mouthpiece 100 to the mounting portions 150 and 160, or from the viewpoint of preventing the mounting portions 150 and 160 from coming off during use, the mounting portion 150 and the upper support portion 130 It is preferable to increase the area of the contact portion with and the area of the contact portion between the mounting portion 160 and the lower support portion 140, respectively. is preferred.

In particular, the contact area between the outer surface 154a of the mounting portion 150 and the outer inner wall surface 132a of the recess 132 of the upper support portion 130, and the outer surface 164a of the mounting portion 160 and the outer inner wall surface of the recess 142 of the lower support portion 140. It is preferable to increase the contact area with 142a. and 164b (see FIGS. 3A and B).

The thickness of the mounting portions 150 and 160 is appropriately selected in consideration of the desired strength, the shape of the user's dentition, and the wearability. For example, from the viewpoint of reducing the feeling of foreign matter and enhancing the feeling of wearing, it is preferable that the thickness of the mounting portions 150 and 160 is thinner than the thickness of the upper support portion 130 and the lower support portion 140 .

The thickness of the mounting portions 150 and 160 may or may not be uniform throughout. For example, from the viewpoint of preventing the portion covered by the upper support portion 130 and the lower support portion 140 from being excessively thick and improving the wearing feeling, the portion covered by the upper support portion 130 of the mounting portion 150 and the portion covered by the upper support portion 130 of the mounting portion 160 The thickness of the portion covered with the lower support portion 140 (for example, the tip side of the tooth) is the thickness of the portion not covered with the upper support portion 130 of the mounting portion 150 and the portion not covered with the lower support portion 140 of the mounting portion 160 ( For example, it is preferably thinner than the thickness on the gum side). Further, from the viewpoint of further reducing the feeling of a foreign object, it is preferable that the thickness of the front side (for example, the first to third teeth) of the mounting portions 150 and 160 is thinner than the thickness of the rear side (see FIG. 1).

Mounting portions 150 and 160 are preferably composed mainly of a thermoplastic resin composition. The thermoplastic resin composition only needs to contain a thermoplastic resin, and may further contain fillers, additives, and the like, if necessary. A metal wire, plate, or the like may be embedded in the thermoplastic resin composition for imparting strength.

The amount of the thermoplastic resin composition with respect to the total mass of the mounting parts 150 and 160 is preferably 50 to 100% by mass, more preferably 60 to 100% by mass, and 80 to 100% by mass. More preferred. When the amount of the thermoplastic resin composition is within the above range, the total mass of the mouthpiece 100 becomes small, and the wearing feeling tends to be good. In addition, the mouthpiece 100 tends to have an appropriate hardness, and the feeling of wearing tends to increase.

The flexural modulus of the thermoplastic resin composition contained in the mounting portions 150 and 160 may be higher or lower than the flexural modulus of the material contained in the upper support portion 130 or the lower support portion 140. From the viewpoint of improving the feeling of wearing, it is preferably lower than the flexural modulus of the material included in the upper support portion 130 or the lower support portion 140 .

That is, the flexural modulus of the mounting portions 150 and 160 (or the thermoplastic resin composition contained therein) is lower than the flexural modulus of the upper support portion 130 and the lower support portion 140 (or the highly elastic material contained therein). is preferably 50 to 500 MPa, more preferably 50 to 300 MPa, even more preferably 50 to 250 MPa. When the flexural modulus of the mounting portions 150 and 160 is 50 MPa or more, they have appropriate strength, so that the force applied to the mouthpiece 100 can be easily distributed over the entire mounting portions 150 and 160, and the maxillary mouthpiece 110 and the mandibular mouthpiece can be obtained. Relative positioning of pieces 120 is easy. When the flexural modulus of the mounting portions 150 and 160 is 500 MPa or less, it is difficult for the mounting portions 150 and 160 to follow the dentition and wearability.

The tensile strength of the mounting portions 150 and 160 (or the thermoplastic resin composition contained therein) is preferably 150N or more and less than 2000N, more preferably 150 to 500N. When the tensile strength is within the above range, the followability of the mounting portions 150 and 160 to the dentition is likely to be enhanced. Tensile strength was measured by making a hole of φ1.5 mm in the sixth tooth row of the mounting parts 150 and 160 of the mouthpiece (thickness 3 mm) prepared using a Nissin standard model, and performing a tensile test in the direction of the molars (backward). and the strength at which the mounting portions 150 and 160 are torn.

Examples of thermoplastic resins contained in the thermoplastic resin composition include polyester resins, polycarbonate resins, polyamide resins, (meth)acrylic resins, and the like. (Meth)acrylic means acrylic, methacrylic, or both, and (meth)acrylate means acrylate, methacrylate, or both.

Polyester resins are, for example, polycondensates of polycarboxylic acids such as dicarboxylic acids and polyalcohols such as diols, examples of which include polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polypropylene terephthalate, and polybutylene terephthalate. A known resin can be used as the polycarbonate resin.

Examples of polyamide resins include aliphatic polyamide resins (including alicyclic polyamide resins), semi-aromatic polyamide resins, and aromatic polyamide resins. Aliphatic polyamide resins are resins containing, as main components, structural units that contain amide bonds and do not contain aromatic rings (amide bond-containing structural units that do not contain aromatic rings). The phrase “comprising amide bond-containing structural units containing no aromatic ring as a main component” means that the amide bond-containing structural unit containing no aromatic ring is 80 mol% or more of the total number of moles of the amide bond-containing structural units, preferably means that it contains 90 to 100 mol %.

Examples of aliphatic polyamide resins (including alicyclic polyamide resins) include resins obtained by polycondensation reaction of aliphatic dicarboxylic acids having 2 to 14 carbon atoms and aliphatic diamines having 4 to 12 carbon atoms; Resin obtained by polycondensation reaction of aliphatic aminocarboxylic acid having 6 to 12 atoms; Resin obtained by ring-opening polymerization reaction of lactam having 6 to 12 carbon atoms; Aliphatic dicarboxylic acid having 2 to 14 carbon atoms and alicyclic ring Resin obtained by polycondensation reaction with diamine having at least one formula structure; Resin obtained by polycondensation reaction of aliphatic dicarboxylic acid having at least one alicyclic structure and aliphatic diamine having 4 to 12 carbon atoms; Resins obtained by subjecting a dicarboxylic acid having at least one alicyclic structure and a diamine having at least one alicyclic structure to a polycondensation reaction are included.

Examples of aliphatic polyamide resins include polyamide 6, polyamide 6.6, polyamide 4.6, polyamide 6.10, polyamide 6.12, polyamide 6.14, polyamide 6.13, polyamide 6.15, polyamide 6.6. 16, Polyamide 9/2, Polyamide 9/10, Polyamide 9/12, Polyamide 9/13, Polyamide 9/14, Polyamide 9/15, Polyamide 6/16, Polyamide 9/36, Polyamide 10/10, Polyamide 10/ 12, polyamide 10-13, polyamide 10-14, polyamide 11, polyamide 12, polyamide 12-10, polyamide 12-12, polyamide 12-13, polyamide 12-14, and copolymers thereof. The aliphatic polyamide resin may be a commercially available product, and examples thereof include Trogamid CX7323 manufactured by Daicel-Degussa. Among these, polyamide 11, polyamide 12, and a polymer of an aliphatic dicarboxylic acid and a diamine having an alicyclic structure are particularly preferable from the viewpoint of the above-described flexural modulus and the like.

A semi-aromatic polyamide resin is a polyamide resin containing an aromatic ring and an aliphatic structure obtained by polycondensation of a dicarboxylic acid component and a diamine component.

The dicarboxylic acid structural unit constituting the semi-aromatic polyamide resin preferably contains a terephthalic acid structural unit. The amount of the terephthalic acid structural unit is preferably 35 to 100 mol%, more preferably 40 to 100 mol%, based on the total 100 mol% of the dicarboxylic acid structural units constituting the semi-aromatic polyamide resin.

The dicarboxylic acid structural units constituting the semi-aromatic polyamide resin preferably include terephthalic acid structural units, isophthalic acid structural units, and aliphatic dicarboxylic acid structural units having 4 to 10 carbon atoms.

When the total of terephthalic acid structural units, isophthalic acid structural units, and aliphatic dicarboxylic acid structural units having 4 to 10 carbon atoms is taken as 100 mol%, the content of terephthalic acid structural units is 35 to 50 mol%. is preferred, and 40 to 50 mol % is more preferred. The isophthalic acid structural unit content is preferably 25 to 40 mol %, more preferably 30 to 40 mol %. The content of aliphatic dicarboxylic acid structural units having 4 to 10 carbon atoms is preferably 15 to 35 mol %, more preferably 20 to 30 mol %.

The molar ratio of terephthalic acid structural units and isophthalic acid structural units is preferably 65/35 to 50/50. On the other hand, the molar ratio of aliphatic dicarboxylic acid structural units to isophthalic acid structural units is preferably 30/70 to 50/50. When the aliphatic dicarboxylic acid structural unit is included in the above range, the semi-aromatic polyamide resin becomes amorphous, and moldability is enhanced. On the other hand, the isophthalic acid structural unit can improve the moldability while maintaining the heat resistance of the semi-aromatic polyamide resin.

The dicarboxylic acid structural units constituting the semi-aromatic polyamide resin may further contain structural units derived from dicarboxylic acids other than the dicarboxylic acids described above, if necessary. Examples of other dicarboxylic acids include 2-methylterephthalic acid, other aromatic dicarboxylic acids such as naphthalenedicarboxylic acid; furandicarboxylic acids such as 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid; 1,4-cyclohexanedicarboxylic acid; Alicyclic dicarboxylic acids such as 3-cyclohexanedicarboxylic acid are included.

The diamine structural unit constituting the semi-aromatic polyamide resin preferably contains an aliphatic diamine structural unit having 4 to 12 carbon atoms. The aliphatic diamine may be a linear aliphatic diamine or a branched aliphatic diamine. Examples of aliphatic diamines include 1,4-diaminobutane, 1,6-diaminohexane, 1,7-diaminoheptane, 1,8-diaminooctane, 1,9-diaminononane, 1,10-diaminodecane, 1 , 11-diaminoundecane, 1,12-diaminododecane and other linear aliphatic diamines; 2-methyl-1,5-diaminopentane, 2-methyl-1,6-diaminohexane, 2-methyl-1,7- Side chains such as diaminoheptane, 2-methyl-1,8-diaminooctane, 2-methyl-1,9-diaminononane, 2-methyl-1,10-diaminodecane, 2-methyl-1,11-diaminoundecane Acyclic aliphatic diamines with The aliphatic diamine is preferably a diamine having 6-9 carbon atoms, more preferably hexamethylenediamine or nonanediamine.

The amount of the aliphatic diamine structural unit is preferably 60 to 100 mol%, more preferably 80 to 100 mol%, based on the total 100 mol% of the diamine structural units constituting the semi-aromatic polyamide resin.

The diamine structural units constituting the semi-aromatic polyamide resin may further contain structural units derived from diamines other than the above-mentioned aliphatic diamines, if necessary. Examples of other diamines include aromatic diamines such as meta-xylenediamine; cycloaliphatic diamines such as 1,4-cyclohexanediamine, 1,3-cyclohexanediamine.

Examples of aromatic polyamide resins include para-amides, meta-amides, and the like.

Examples of (meth)acrylic resins include (meth)acrylic thermoplastic elastomers. The (meth)acrylic thermoplastic elastomer is particularly preferably a block copolymer containing hard blocks and soft blocks with different glass transition temperatures (Tg).

In the block copolymer, the Tg of the hard blocks is preferably higher than the Tg of the soft blocks. The hard block has a Tg of preferably 30 to 200°C, more preferably 60 to 140°C, and particularly preferably 60 to 120°C. The Tg of the soft blocks is preferably -100 to 0°C, more preferably -80 to -20°C, and particularly preferably -40 to -50°C.

In the block copolymer, both the hard blocks and the soft blocks preferably have units derived from alkyl (meth)acrylate (alkyl (meth)acrylate units). In this case, the carbon number (carbon number C1) of the alkyl group contained in the alkyl (meth)acrylate unit of the hard block is less than the carbon number (carbon number C2) of the alkyl group contained in the alkyl (meth)acrylate unit of the soft block. is preferred.

The carbon number (carbon number C1) of the alkyl portion of the alkyl (meth)acrylate unit in the hard block is preferably 1 to 6, more preferably 1 to 3, still more preferably 1 or 2, and particularly preferably 1. Moreover, it is preferable that the (meth)acrylate part is a methacrylate. That is, it is particularly preferred that the hard blocks contain methyl methacrylate units.

The carbon number (carbon number C2) of the alkyl portion of the alkyl (meth)acrylate unit in the soft block should be larger than the carbon number C1. The difference between carbon number C1 and carbon number C2 is preferably 1 or more, more preferably 1 to 6, still more preferably 2 to 5, and particularly preferably 2 to 4.

The (meth)acrylate moiety is preferably acrylate. It is particularly preferred that the soft blocks contain butyl acrylate units.

In the block copolymer, the ratio of the mass of the hard block to the total mass of the hard block and the soft block is selected so that the flexural modulus of the (meth)acrylic thermoplastic elastomer is within the above range, and is 5 to 95 mass. %, more preferably 10 to 90% by mass, particularly preferably 15 to 85% by mass. The total weight of hard blocks and soft blocks is preferably 80 to 100% by weight, more preferably 90 to 100% by weight, relative to the block copolymer.

The mass average molecular weight (Mw) of the (meth)acrylic resin (block copolymer) is appropriately selected according to the flexural modulus, preferably 10,000 to 1,000,000, more preferably 20,000 to 800,000, and particularly preferably 50,000 to 500,000. The mass average molecular weight (Mw) of the hard block is preferably 10,000 to 1,000,000, more preferably 20,000 to 800,000, and particularly preferably 50,000 to 500,000. On the other hand, the weight average molecular weight (Mw) of soft blocks is preferably 10,000 to 1,000,000, more preferably 20,000 to 800,000, and particularly preferably 50,000 to 500,000. The mass average molecular weight (Mw) is a value measured by gel permeation chromatography (GPC) and converted to polymethyl methacrylate.

2. Position adjuster 200
The position adjustment part 200 is a member for adjusting the relative positions of the maxillary mouthpiece 110 and the mandibular mouthpiece 120 . In this embodiment, the position adjustment part 200 has a female thread 230 arranged on the upper jaw mouthpiece 110 side and a male thread 240 arranged on the lower jaw mouthpiece 120 side. The position of the lower jaw mouthpiece 120 with respect to the upper jaw mouthpiece 110 is configured to be adjustable in the front-rear direction.

The internal thread 230 may be directly arranged on the upper support portion 130 of the maxillary mouthpiece 110, or may be arranged via another member (such as a fixing member). Similarly, the male thread 240 may be arranged directly on the lower support portion 140 of the mandibular mouthpiece 120, or may be arranged via another member (such as a slide member). In this embodiment, the female screw 230 is arranged on the upper jaw mouthpiece 110 side by being held by the fixing member 210 supported (fixed) by the upper support portion 130 of the upper jaw mouthpiece 110 . The male screw 240 is arranged on the mandibular mouthpiece 120 side by being held by the slide member 220 supported (fixed) by the lower support portion 140 of the mandibular mouthpiece 120 .

That is, the position adjustment part 200 includes a fixed member 210 supported by the upper support part 130 of the maxillary mouthpiece 110, a slide member 220 supported by the lower support part 140 of the mandibular mouthpiece 120, the fixed member 210 and the slide member. 220 and a female thread 230 and a male thread 240 for positioning the slide member 220 forward with respect to the fixed member 210 (see FIGS. 4 to 6).

The fixed member 210 has a substantially semi-cylindrical cover portion 214 whose surface facing the slide member 220 forms a substantially semi-circular groove portion 212 , and the slide member 220 has a semi-circular groove portion facing the fixed member 210 . 222 has a substantially semi-cylindrical cover portion 224 . When the fixing member 210 and the sliding member 220 are arranged so that the respective grooves 212 and 222 face each other, a substantially cylindrical insertion hole through which the male screw 240 can be inserted is formed (see FIGS. 5 and 6).

The shapes of the cover portion 214 and the cover portion 224 are not limited to these, and may be substantially truncated cone tubular, substantially elliptical tubular, or substantially truncated elliptical tubular, etc., when arranged to face each other. Further, the outer shape of the cover portion 214 and the outer shape of the cover portion 224 may not be substantially the same, and may have different shapes as long as the insertion holes can be formed.

In addition to the cover portion 214 , the fixing member 210 further includes a mounting portion 216 for fixing the fixing member 210 to the upper support portion 130 and holds a female screw 230 .

The cover portion 214 can be a thin plate member formed in a semi-cylindrical shape, for example. The cover portion 214 may be formed with substantially the same thickness from the front end to the rear end continuous with the mounting portion 216, or the thickness of the rear end to which stress in the left-right direction is likely to be applied while the mouthpiece 100 is worn may be reduced. It may be formed thicker.

The attachment portion 216 is a thin plate-like member that extends in the left-right direction continuously from the rear of the cover portion 214 , and is curved along the shape of the front surface of the upper support portion 130 . The mounting portion 216 is fixed to the upper support portion 130 located in front of the maxillary mouthpiece 110 . The mounting portion 216 may include a plurality of through holes 216 a for deforming the mounting portion 216 to facilitate support by the upper support portion 130 .

The internal thread 230 is arranged on the inner periphery of the groove 212 at a position behind the insertion hole. The internal thread 230 is integrally formed with the cover portion 214 and the like from the same material as the cover portion 214 and the mounting portion 216 in this embodiment.

Internal threads 230 may be located at the rear end of groove 212 . On the other hand, from the viewpoint of suppressing a decrease in wearing comfort of the user due to contact of the male thread 240 protruding from the rear end of the insertion hole which is deeply screwed into the female thread 230 and protruding from the rear end of the insertion hole, the female thread 230 is , is preferably spaced from the rear end of the groove 212 .

In addition to the cover portion 224 described above, the slide member 220 may include a mounting portion 226 for fixing the slide member 220 to the lower support portion 140 and a U-shaped fastener 228 for holding the male screw 240 .

The cover part 224 can be, for example, a thin plate member formed in a semi-cylindrical shape. The cover portion 224 may be formed with substantially the same thickness from the front end to the rear end continuing to the mounting portion 226, or the thickness of the rear end to which stress in the left-right direction is likely to be applied while the mouthpiece 100 is worn may be reduced. It may be formed thicker. The cover portion 224 also has through holes 224a and 224b into which the ends of the fasteners 228 can be fitted.

The attachment portion 226 is a thin plate-like member that extends in the left-right direction continuously from the rear of the cover portion 224 and is curved along the shape of the front surface of the mandibular mouthpiece 120 . The mounting portion 226 is fixed to the lower support portion 140 located in front of the mandibular mouthpiece 120 . The mounting portion 226 may include a plurality of through holes 226 a for deforming the mounting portion 226 to facilitate support by the lower support portion 140 .

The fastener 228 includes a pair of substantially rectangular parallelepiped fitting portions 228a and 228b that form ends of the fastener 228, a curved portion 228c that curves into a substantially semicircular shape and connects the fitting portions 228a and 228b, is a U-shaped member comprising A curved portion 228c of the fastener 228 is engaged with an annular constricted portion 235 of the male thread 240, which will be described later. A pair of fitting portions 228a and 228b of the fastener 228 are fitted into the through holes 224a and 224b of the cover portion 224, respectively. A fastener 228 rotatably secures an external thread 240 to the slide member 220 . The fastener 228 can be easily removed from the slide member 220 when the fixing member 210 and the slide member 220 are not connected (the female thread 230 and the male thread 240 are not screwed together).

The male thread 240 includes an engaging portion 242 that can be engaged with the screwdriver 400, a pair of flanges 244 and 246 that are arranged facing each other, and an annular constricted portion 245 that is arranged between the flanges 244 and 246. , and a threaded portion 248 that is threadably engageable with the internal thread 230 . The engaging portion 242 , the collar portion 244 , the constricted portion 245 , the collar portion 246 and the threaded portion 248 are arranged in this order from one end of the male thread 240 toward the other end.

The engaging portion 242 is arranged at the forward end of the male thread 240 . The engaging portion 242 may have any shape as long as it can be engaged with the screwdriver 400 and the male screw 240 can be rotated by rotating the engaged screwdriver 400 . For example, the engaging portion 242 may be a hexagonal hole into which the tip of a hexagonal columnar screwdriver 400 (hexagon wrench) can be inserted so that the male screw 240 can be rotated.

The pair of flanges 244 and 246 are formed so that the radius of the outer periphery is larger than the radius of the inner periphery of the curved portion 228c of the fastener 228, and the constricted portion 245 has the radius of the curved portion of the outer periphery of the fastener 228. It is formed smaller than the radius of the inner circumference of the portion 228c. As a result, the movement of the male screw 240 in the front-rear direction is restricted within the space between the pair of flanges 244 and 246 .

Threaded portion 248 is located at the rearward end of male thread 240 . The threaded portion 248 may have a threaded shape that can be screwed with the female thread 230 . From the viewpoint of increasing the amount of advancement of the slide member 220 relative to the fixing member 210 and increasing the amount of advancement of the mandibular mouthpiece 120 relative to the maxillary mouthpiece 110, the threaded portion 248 has a length that is at least half that of the male thread 240. is preferred.

In this embodiment, the male screw 240 held by the slide member 220 is screwed into the female screw 230 held by the fixing member 210, and the male screw 240 is rotated to adjust the screwing amount between the male screw 240 and the female screw 230. , the position of the mandibular mouthpiece 120 relative to the position of the maxillary mouthpiece 110 can be adjusted. For example, by moving the mandibular mouthpiece 120 forward from the mandibular mouthpiece 110 by an amount that matches the shape of the user's jaw, the rearward displacement of the mandible is restricted and the airway of the user wearing the mouthpiece 100 is restricted. It is possible to make the constriction difficult.

The fixing member 210, the sliding member 220, and the male screw 240 are made of metal materials such as titanium or alloys containing titanium, iron (steel including stainless steel, etc.), and alloys such as gold, silver, platinum, cobalt, and chromium, and JIS It can be formed from a hard resin material (for example, polycarbonate resin) having a flexural modulus of 1000 to 3000 MPa as measured according to T6501. In addition, the metal material may be improved in corrosion resistance by a chemical conversion film or the like.

[Second embodiment]
A mouthpiece according to the second embodiment of the present invention is the same as the mouthpiece 100 according to the first embodiment, except that an upper support portion 130 and a lower support portion 140 are provided so as to partially cover the row of teeth. configured to Hereinafter, the same reference numerals are given to the same configurations as in the first embodiment, and the description thereof will be omitted.

FIG. 7 is a schematic perspective view of a mouthpiece 100 according to a second embodiment of the invention, and FIG. 8 is a schematic exploded perspective view of the mouthpiece 100. As shown in FIG.

As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the upper support 130 covers the front side (incisor side, eg, first to third teeth) and the rear side (molar side, eg, fourth tooth) of the maxillary dentition. ~8 teeth) are provided so as not to cover them. The lower support part 140 covers the front side (incisor side, for example, 1st to 3rd teeth) of the dentition of the lower jaw, and does not cover the rear side (molar side, for example, 4th to 8th teeth). be provided.

The lengths of the upper support portion 130 and the lower support portion 140 in the direction along the tooth row are not particularly limited, and are appropriately set according to the size of the position adjustment portion 200 and the like. The lengths of the upper support portion 130 and the lower support portion 140 in the direction along the tooth row may be the same or different. For example, from the viewpoint of making it easier to stably support the position adjusting portion 200, the lengths of the upper supporting portion 130 and the lower supporting portion 140 in the direction along the tooth row are preferably the same.

The outer surfaces 154 and 164 of the mounting portions 150 and 160 may have an uneven shape corresponding to the shape of the dentition throughout (see FIGS. 7 and 8) or may be covered by the upper support portion 130 and the lower support portion 140. It is also possible that only the portion where the tooth is connected has an uneven shape corresponding to the shape of the tooth row, and the other portion does not have an uneven shape. Alternatively, only a portion of the portion covered by the upper support portion 130 and the lower support portion 140 may have an uneven shape corresponding to the shape of the tooth row. For example, since the portions of the outer surfaces 154 and 164 of the mounting portions 150 and 160 that are not covered with the upper support portion 130 and the lower support portion 140 do not have uneven shapes, the feel on the tongue can be improved.

The thickness of the mounting portions 150 and 160 may or may not be uniform throughout. For example, the thickness of the portions of the mounting portions 150 and 160 covered by the upper support portion 130 and the lower support portion 140 (the front side in this embodiment) is It is preferably thinner than the thickness of the rear side in the embodiment. As a result, the portion covered by the upper support portion 130 and the lower support portion 140 (the front side in the present embodiment) is less likely to become excessively thick, and the wearing comfort is improved.

With the above configuration, the upper support part 130 and the lower support part 140 are arranged only in front of the row of teeth, and are not arranged on the left and right sides of the row of teeth. , the feeling of wearing can be further enhanced.

[Modification]
In the second embodiment, the upper support part 130 and the lower support part 140 are provided so as to cover the inner surface, the bottom surface or the upper surface, and the outer surface of the tooth row, respectively. It may be a structure having a wire member.

FIG. 9 is a schematic perspective view showing a modification of the mouthpiece 100 according to the second embodiment of the invention. As shown in FIG. 9, upper support section 130 and lower support section 140 may have wire members 136 and 146, respectively, and be configured to support fixed member 210 and slide member 220. As shown in FIG.

Wire members 136 and 146 may have a shape that surrounds the teeth. In this embodiment, wire members 136 and 146 have a shape surrounding the row of teeth, and fixed member 210 and sliding member 220 are supported and fixed. In this embodiment, the wire members 136 and 146 are provided so as to surround the entire row of teeth, but they may be provided so as to surround only a portion of the row of teeth. Examples of wire members 136 and 146 include ball clasps, C-clasp, and the like. The wire member 146 may be fixed by a resin bed (not shown) or the like placed on the lingual side.

Also, the contact portions of the mounting portions 150 and 160 with the wire members 136 and 146 may be provided with concave portions (not shown) or friction surfaces corresponding to the wire members 136 and 146 . This makes it easier to attach and fix mounting portions 150 and 160 to wire members 136 and 146 .

Further, in the first embodiment, both the upper support part 130 and the lower support part 140 are provided so as to cover the entire tooth row, and in the second embodiment, the upper support part 130 and the lower support part 140 Although an example in which both are provided so as to cover only part of the row of teeth has been shown, one of the upper support portion 130 and the lower support portion 140 is provided so as to cover the entire row of teeth, and the other is provided to cover only a portion of the row of teeth. You may provide so that only a part may be covered.

Further, in the first and second embodiments, an example in which the mounting portions 150 and 160 are detachably attached to the upper support portion 130 and the lower support portion 140, respectively, is shown, but the upper support portion 130 and the lower support portion The mounting portion 150 or 160 may be detachably attached to only one of 140 . For example, the upper support 130 may be configured to removably attach the attachment 150 and the lower support 140 may be configured to be directly attachable to the dentition.

In addition, in the first and second embodiments, the fixing member 210 is arranged on the upper jaw side of the position adjustment part 200, and the sliding member 220 is arranged on the lower jaw side. may be placed.

Further, in the first and second embodiments, the female screw 230 of the position adjusting portion 200 is arranged in the fixing member 210 supported (fixed) by the upper support portion 130 of the upper jaw mouthpiece 110, and the male screw 240 is arranged in the upper jaw mouthpiece 110. Although it is arranged on the slide member 220 supported (fixed) on the lower support portion 140 of the mouthpiece 120, it is not limited to this. For example, female threads 230 may be located directly on upper support 130 of maxillary mouthpiece 110 and male threads 240 may be located directly on lower support 140 of mandibular mouthpiece 120 .

10 is a schematic perspective view showing a modification of the mouthpiece 100 according to the second embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram showing the upper support portion 130 and the lower support portion 140 of FIG. It is a perspective view. As shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, upper support 130 and lower support 140 may be configured to directly support male threads 240 and female threads 230, respectively. For example, the upper support portion 130 is configured to be able to hold the male thread 240 in the front facing portion 130a facing the rear facing portion 140b of the lower support portion 140 when the mouth is closed. The lower support portion 140 is configured to be able to hold the internal thread 230 in the rear facing portion 140b.

10 and 11, the upper support portion 130 is provided to cover at least the outer surface 154a (outer side of the tooth row) of the mounting portion 150, and the lower support portion 140 is provided to cover the inner surface 164b of the mounting portion 160 (outer side of the tooth row). inside).

According to the mouthpiece of the present invention, it is possible to limit the backward displacement of the user's mandible, which is very effective in preventing and treating sleep apnea syndrome. Moreover, the mouthpiece of the present invention is more comfortable to wear than conventional mouthpieces, and is less likely to be damaged or deformed. Therefore, it can be used for the prevention and treatment of sleep apnea syndrome, the prevention and treatment of temporomandibular disorders, the suppression of bruxism, and the like.

100 Mouthpiece 110 Maxillary Mouthpiece 120 Mandibular Mouthpiece 130 Upper Support Part 140 Lower Support Part 132, 142 Recesses 132a, 142a Outer inner wall surface 132b, 142b Inner inner wall surface 132c Bottom surface 142c Upper surface 134, 144 Fixing part 136, 146 Wire Member 150, 160 Mounting part 152, 162 Tooth row molding part 154, 164 Outer surface 154a, 164a Outer surface 154b, 164b Inner surface 154c Bottom surface 164c Upper surface 200 Position adjustment part 210 Fixing member 212 Groove part of fixing member 214 Cover of fixing member Part 216, 226 Mounting part 216a, 226a Through hole 220 Slide member 222 Groove part of slide member 224 Cover part of slide member 224a, 224b Through hole 228 Fastener 228a, 228b Fitting part 228c Curved part 230 Female screw 240 Male screw 242 Engaging part 244, 246 collar portion 245 neck portion 248 screw portion 400 screwdriver

Claims (11)

maxillary and mandibular mouthpieces;
It has a male thread arranged on one mouthpiece side of the maxillary and mandibular mouthpiece and a female thread arranged on the other mouthpiece side, and the male thread and the female thread are engaged with the maxillary mouthpiece. a position adjustment unit that adjusts the position of the mandibular mouthpiece in the front-rear direction;
has
The maxillary and mandibular mouthpieces are
Having a pair of upper and lower support parts for supporting the position adjustment part,
At least one of the pair of upper and lower support portions is detachably attached with a mounting portion to be mounted on the tooth row,
mouthpiece. Both of the pair of upper and lower support portions are detachably attached with attachment portions attached to the row of teeth,
A mouthpiece according to claim 1 . The bending elastic modulus of the mounting portion is lower than the bending elastic modulus of the pair of upper and lower support portions,
A mouthpiece according to claim 1 or 2. The bending elastic modulus of the mounting portion is 50 to 500 MPa,
A mouthpiece according to claim 3. The pair of upper and lower support portions has a fixing portion that fixes the mounting portion,
A mouthpiece according to any one of claims 1-4. The contact portion of the pair of upper and lower support portions with the mounting portion has an uneven shape complementary to the contact portion of the mounting portion with the pair of upper and lower support portions,
A mouthpiece according to any one of claims 1-5. The mounting portion is provided so as to cover the entire dentition,
A mouthpiece according to any one of claims 1-6. The pair of upper and lower support portions are provided so as to cover the entire row of teeth,
Mouthpiece according to any one of claims 1-7. The pair of upper and lower support portions are provided so as to cover a part of the tooth row,
Mouthpiece according to any one of claims 1-7. The pair of upper and lower support portions have wire members,
Mouthpiece according to any one of claims 1-7. The maxillary and mandibular mouthpieces are
Having the mounting part detachably attached to at least one of the pair of upper and lower support parts and mounted on the row of teeth,
A mouthpiece according to any one of claims 1-10.

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