JP2023032710A - 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 100 comprises: an upper jaw mouth piece 110 and a lower jaw mouth piece 120; and a left and right pair of dental coupling members 160 which couples the upper jaw and lower jaw mouth pieces, and regulates rearward displacement of the lower jaw mouth piece. The upper jaw mouth piece comprises an upper support part 170 for supporting one end of the dental coupling member, the lower jaw mouth piece has a lower support part 180 for supporting the other end of the dental coupling member, and to at least one of the upper and lower support parts, attachment parts 190, 200 attached to a tooth row, are attached detachably.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.
a maxillary mouthpiece, a mandibular mouthpiece, and a pair of left and right dental connecting members that connect the maxillary mouthpiece and the mandibular mouthpiece and restrict rearward displacement of the mandibular mouthpiece, wherein the maxillary mouthpiece has an upper support that supports one end of the dental connecting member; the mandibular mouthpiece has a lower support that supports the other end of the dental connecting member; and at least one of the lower support portion is detachably attached to an attachment portion to be attached to a row of teeth.

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. 4A is a schematic side view of the mouthpiece shown in FIG. 1 when closed, and FIG. 4B is a schematic side view of the mouthpiece shown in FIG. 1 when opened. FIG. 5 is a schematic perspective view of a mouthpiece according to a second embodiment of the invention. FIG. 6 is a schematic exploded perspective view of a mouthpiece according to a second embodiment of the invention. 7A and 7B are schematic perspective views showing modifications of the mouthpiece according to the second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 8 is a schematic perspective view showing a modification of the mouthpiece according to the second embodiment of the invention.

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, and FIG. 2 is a schematic exploded perspective view of the mouthpiece 100. FIG. 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. 4A is a schematic side view of mouthpiece 100 when closed, and FIG. 4B is a schematic side view of mouthpiece 100 when open.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the mouthpiece 100 of this embodiment connects the upper jaw mouthpiece 110 and the lower jaw mouthpiece 120, the upper jaw mouthpiece 110 and the lower jaw mouthpiece 120, and the rear mouthpiece 120. and a pair of left and right dental connecting members 160 for restricting the displacement of the teeth.

Maxillary mouthpiece 110 has an upper support 170 that supports one end of dental connecting member 160 and mandibular mouthpiece 120 has a lower support 180 that supports the other end of dental connecting member 160 . . Mounting portions 190 and 200 to be mounted on the row of teeth are detachably attached to the upper support portion 170 and the lower support portion 180, respectively.

In the mouthpiece 100 of this embodiment, the relative positions of the maxillary mouthpiece 110 and the mandibular mouthpiece 120 are determined by the dental connecting member 160, and the position of the mandible relative to the user's maxilla is appropriately adjusted. Therefore, the airway is kept wide during sleep, and apnea and snoring are improved.

Mounting portions 190 and 200 are detachably attached to upper support portion 170 and lower support portion 180, respectively. As a result, the force applied to the mouthpiece 100 is dispersed and transmitted to the entire mounting portions 190 and 200 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. That is, when both are integrated, the force applied to the hard member of the mouthpiece is easily transmitted to the soft member as it is without being dispersed, so stress is locally generated inside the soft member. It may occur and cause deformation. On the other hand, when the two are separated, the force applied to the upper support portion 170 and the lower support portion 180 of the mouthpiece tends to be dispersed and transmitted to the entire mounting portions 190 and 200. and 200, local stress is less likely to occur, and deformation and the like can be suppressed.
In addition, even if the mounting portions 190 and 200 are worn out due to repeated use, the mounting portions 190 and 200 can be replaced and used, so usability can be improved. Further, by making the bending elastic modulus of the mounting portions 190 and 200 lower than the bending elastic modulus of the upper support portion 170 and the lower support portion 180, 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 The maxillary mouthpiece 110 has an upper support 170 that supports one end of the dental connecting member 160, as described above. The mandibular mouthpiece 120 has a lower support 180 that supports the other end of the dental connecting member 160 as described above.

1-1. Upper and Lower Supports Upper and lower supports 170 and 180 are configured to removably attach mounting portions 190 and 200, respectively. For example, upper support portion 170 and lower support portion 180 have recesses 172 and 182 that can accommodate mounting portions 190 and 200, respectively (see FIGS. 1-3).

The upper support portion 170 and the lower support portion 180 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 190 and 200 when the mounting portions 190 and 200 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 170 and the lower support portion 180 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 190 and 200 when the mounting portions 190 and 200 are attached. It is preferably configured in an arcuate shape (see FIGS. 3A and B). Thereby, not only can the mounting parts 190 and 200 be fixed more stably, but also the load can be easily distributed, and the dental connecting member 160 can be firmly supported.

The upper support portion 170 and the lower support portion 180 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. The upper support part 170 and the lower support part 180 are preferably provided so as to cover the entire dentition from the viewpoint of making it easier to fix the mounting parts 190 and 200 (see FIGS. 1 and 2).

In addition, the upper support part 170 and the lower support part 180 are not covered with the upper support part 170 and the lower support part 180 when the attachment parts 190 and 200 are attached. (See FIG. 1). Thereby, attachment and detachment of the attachment portions 190 and 200 can be facilitated. In addition, if the attachment portions 190 and 200 are larger than the upper support portion 170 and the lower support portion 180, the elasticity of the attachment portions 190 and 200 only makes it easier to remove the upper support portion 170 and the lower support portion 180 from the dentition. Moreover, the manufacture (molding) of the upper support portion 170 and the lower support portion 180 is facilitated. The amount of protrusion of the gum-side ends of the mounting portions 190 and 200 may be greater on the inside of the dentition than on the outside of the dentition (see FIGS. 3A and B).

The upper support portion 170 preferably has a fixing portion 174 for fixing the mounting portion 190 (see FIG. 3A), and the lower support portion 180 preferably has a fixing portion 184 for fixing the mounting portion 200 (see FIG. 3B). ).

The fixing portions 174 and 184 may be uneven shapes or friction surfaces (rough surfaces, etc.) provided at the contact portion with the mounting portion 190 or 200, the inclination of the inner wall surfaces of the recesses 172 and 182, or the like. For example, the contact portion of the upper support portion 170 with the mounting portion 190 (in this embodiment, the inner wall surface of the concave portion 172 of the upper support portion 170) serves as the fixing portion 174, and the contact portion of the mounting portion 190 with the upper support portion 170. (In this embodiment, the outer surface 194 of the mounting portion 190) has a complementary uneven shape (see FIG. 3A). The contact portion of the lower support portion 180 with the mounting portion 200 (in this embodiment, the inner wall surface of the concave portion 182 of the lower support portion 180) serves as the fixing portion 184 and the contact portion of the mounting portion 200 with the lower support portion 180 (this In an embodiment, it has a contoured shape that is complementary to the outer surface 204 of the mounting portion 200 (see FIG. 3B). The uneven shape is not limited to a shape corresponding to the row of teeth. The fixed portions 174 and 184 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 throughout the mounting portions 190 and 200, or from the viewpoint of making it difficult for the mounting portions 190 and 200 to come off during use, an upper support portion 170 and a lower support portion 180, It is preferable to increase the area of the contact portion with the mounting portions 190 and 200 . It is preferable that the entire inner wall surface of the recess 182 (outer inner wall surface 182a, inner inner wall surface 182b, upper surface 182c) is provided with an uneven shape.

In particular, from the viewpoint of facilitating the distribution of stress, the contact area between the outer inner wall surface 172a of the concave portion 172 of the upper support portion 170 and the outer surface 194 of the mounting portion 190 and the outer inner surface of the concave portion 182 of the lower support portion 180 It is preferable to increase the contact area between the wall surface 182a and the outer surface 204 of the mounting portion 200 . For example, the outer inner wall surfaces 172a and 182a of the upper support portion 170 and the lower support portion 180 are all provided with uneven shapes, or the outer inner wall surfaces 172a and 182a are made higher than the inner inner wall surfaces 172b and 182b. It is also preferable to increase the The heights of the outer inner wall surfaces 172a and 182a of the recesses 172 and 182 of the upper support portion 170 and the lower support portion 180 may or may not be substantially uniform over the entire area, but from the viewpoint of facilitating stress distribution. Then, it is preferably substantially uniform over the entire area (see FIG. 2).

In addition, from the viewpoint of reducing the feeling of a foreign object, the height of the inner wall surfaces 172b and 182b of the upper support portion 170 and the lower support portion 180 is preferably lower than the height of the outer inner wall surfaces 172a and 182a, for example. 1, 2, 3A and B).

From the viewpoint of preventing attachment portions 190 and 200 from coming off from upper support portion 170 and lower support portion 180 during use, the outer and inner sides of upper support portion 170 and lower support portion 180 on the front side (for example, the first to third teeth) are The wall surfaces 172a and 182a and the inner wall surfaces 172b and 182b are each preferably slanted rearward (relative to the dentition surface) from the tip of the tooth toward the gum (see FIG. 2).

Furthermore, from the viewpoint of making it easier to attach the mounting parts 190 and 200, or from the viewpoint of making it difficult for the upper support part 170 and the lower support part 180 to directly touch the gums, etc., the inner side of the upper support part 170 and the lower support part 180 The angle of inclination of the walls 172b and 182b (relative to the tooth surface) is preferably greater than the angle of inclination of the outer inner walls 172a and 182a (see Figures 4A and B).

The rear ends of upper support 170 and lower support 180 are preferably open (see FIGS. 4A and B). This makes it easier to attach the mounting portions 190 and 200 and the upper support portion 170 and the lower support portion 180 from behind.

Also, the rear ends of the upper support portion 170 and the lower support portion 180 do not cover at least a portion of the rear ends of the mounting portions 190 and 200 (so that the rear ends of the mounting portions 190 and 200 protrude). Preferably provided (see FIGS. 4A and B). As a result, for example, the upper support portion 170 and the lower support portion 180, which have a relatively high flexural modulus, 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 part 170 and the lower support part 180 have sufficient strength to support the dental connecting member 160, and when the user wears the mouthpiece 100, the thickness of the upper support part 170 and the lower support part 180 is sufficient to support 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 to support the dental connecting member 160, it is preferably thicker than the mounting portions 190 and 200. FIG. Alternatively, from the viewpoint of emphasizing the reduction of foreign body sensation, the thicknesses of the upper support portion 170 and the lower support portion 180 may be thinner than the thicknesses of the mounting portions 190 and 200 .

The thickness of the upper support portion 170 and the lower support portion 180 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 170 and the lower support portion 180 is reduced to the rear side (molar side, For example, it is preferably thinner than the 4th to 8th teeth) (see FIG. 2). From the viewpoint of firmly supporting the dental connecting member 160, the thickness of the portion of the dental connecting member 160 where the upper holding portion 130 or the lower holding portion 140 is provided is preferably thicker than the other portions (see FIG. 2). .

Upper support portion 170 and lower support portion 180 comprise a material having a different flexural modulus than mounting portions 190 and 200 . For example, the upper support portion 170 and the lower support portion 180 are made of a highly elastic material with a higher flexural modulus than the thermoplastic resin composition contained in the mounting parts 190 and 200 described later, or a low elastic material with a low flexural modulus. can contain Above all, from the viewpoint of securing sufficient strength for supporting dental connecting member 160 , upper support portion 170 and lower support portion 180 have a higher flexural modulus than the thermoplastic resin composition contained in mounting portions 190 and 200 . It preferably contains a high modulus material.

That is, the bending elastic moduli of the upper supporting portion 170 and the lower supporting portion 180 are preferably higher than the bending elastic moduli of the mounting portions 190 and 200 . Specifically, the lower limit of the difference between the flexural modulus of the upper support portion 170 and the lower support portion 180 and the flexural modulus of the mounting portions 190 and 200 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 170 and the lower support part 180 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 170 and the lower support part 180 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 170 and the lower support portion 180 have a sufficiently high flexural modulus, so that the dental connecting member 160 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 190 is to be attached to the maxillary dentition and is detachably attached to the upper support part 170 . The attachment part 200 is attached to the row of teeth of the lower jaw, and is detachably attached to the lower support part 180 (see FIG. 2).

The mounting portions 190 and 200 may be provided so as to cover the entire dentition, or may be provided so as to cover only a portion thereof. From the viewpoint of facilitating transmission of the force applied to the mouthpiece due to bruxism, clinching, etc. to the mounting portions 190 and 200, the mounting portions 190 and 200 are preferably provided so as to cover the entire dentition (Fig. 1). and 2).

Mounting portions 190 and 200 have recesses that can accommodate dentition. In this embodiment, the mounting portions 190 and 200 have tooth-row molded portions 192 and 202 (concave portions) corresponding to the user's tooth row, respectively. good.

The outer surface 194 (outer surface 194a, inner surface 194b, bottom surface 194c) of the mounting portion 190 and the outer surface 204 (outer surface 204a, inner surface 204b, upper surface 204c) of the mounting portion 200 each have an overall tooth row shape. It can have a corresponding uneven shape (see FIG. 2). As described above, the uneven shape may be a shape complementary to the inner wall surfaces of the recess 172 of the upper support portion 170 and the recess 182 of the lower support portion 180, and does not have to be a shape of unevenness corresponding to the shape of the tooth row.

As described above, from the viewpoint of easily distributing and transmitting the force applied to the mouthpiece 100 to the mounting portions 190 and 200, or from the viewpoint of making it difficult for the mounting portions 190 and 200 to come off during use, the mounting portions 190 and 200 and the upper support It is preferable to increase the area of the contact portion with the portion 170 and the lower support portion 180, and it is preferable to provide the entire outer surfaces 194 and 204 of the mounting portions 190 and 200 with uneven shapes.

In particular, the contact area between the outer surface 194a of the mounting portion 190 and the outer inner wall surface 172a of the recess 172 of the upper support portion 170, and the outer surface 204a of the mounting portion 200 and the outer inner wall surface of the recess 182 of the lower support portion 180. It is preferable to increase the contact area with 182a. and 204b (see FIGS. 3A and B).

The thickness of the mounting portions 190 and 200 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 190 and 200 is thinner than the thickness of the upper support portion 170 and the lower support portion 180 .

The thickness of the mounting portions 190 and 200 may or may not be uniform throughout. For example, from the viewpoint of preventing the area covered by the upper support part 170 or the lower support part 180 from being excessively thick and improving the feeling of wearing, the upper support part 170 or the lower support part 180 of the wearing parts 190 and 200 is covered. The thickness of the area (eg, the tip side of the tooth) is preferably thinner than the thickness of the area (eg, the gum side) not covered by the upper support 170 or the lower support 180 . Moreover, from the viewpoint of further reducing the feeling of a foreign object, it is preferable that the thickness of the front side of the mounting portions 190 and 200 is thinner than the thickness of the rear side (see FIG. 2).

Mounting portions 190 and 200 are preferably mainly composed 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 190 and 200 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 190 and 200 may be higher or lower than the flexural modulus of the material contained in the upper support portion 170 or the lower support portion 180. 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 170 or the lower support portion 180 .

That is, the flexural modulus of the mounting portions 190 and 200 (or the thermoplastic resin composition contained therein) is lower than the flexural modulus of the upper support portion 170 and the lower support portion 180 (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 190 and 200 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 190 and 200, and the maxillary mouthpiece 110 and the mandibular mouthpiece. Relative positioning of pieces 120 is easy. When the flexural modulus of the mounting portions 190 and 200 is 500 MPa or less, the followability and wearability of the mounting portions 190 and 200 to the dentition are less likely to be impaired.

The tensile strength of the mounting parts 190 and 200 (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 190 and 200 to the dentition tends to be enhanced. Tensile strength was obtained by making a hole of φ1.5 mm in the sixth tooth row of the mounting parts 190 and 200 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 190 and 200 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. Dental Connecting Member Dental connecting member 160 is a member for connecting maxillary mouthpiece 110 and mandibular mouthpiece 120 , adjusting their relative positions, and suppressing rearward displacement of mandibular mouthpiece 120 . In this embodiment, the dental connecting member 160 includes an upper retainer 130 attached to the upper support 170 of the maxillary mouthpiece 110, a lower retainer 140 attached to the lower support 180 of the mandibular mouthpiece 120, and the It has a connecting link 150 (see FIGS. 1, 4A and B).

The upper holding portion 130 is configured to be joinable to the upper support portion 170 and to hold the connecting portion 150 . For example, the upper holding portion 130 has an upper shaft body 132 extending outward from the upper support portion 170 and an upper flange portion 134 located further outward from the upper shaft body 132 (see FIG. 1). One end of the columnar upper shaft body 132 is supported by the upper support portion 170 . The method of joining upper support portion 170 and upper shaft body 132 is not particularly limited. The upper shaft body 132 may be embedded in the support portion 170 .

The lower holding portion 140 is configured to be joinable to the lower support portion 180 and to hold the connecting portion 150 . For example, the lower holding portion 140 has a lower shaft body 142, one of which extends outward from the lower support portion 180, and a lower flange portion 144 located further outward from the lower shaft body 142 (see FIG. 1). . One end of the columnar lower shaft body 142 is supported by the lower support portion 180 . The method of joining the lower support portion 180 and the lower shaft body 142 is the same as the method of joining the upper support portion 170 and the upper shaft body 132 .

The connecting portion 150 connects the upper holding portion 130 and the lower holding portion 140 and is configured to be able to hold the upper holding portion 130 and the lower holding portion 140 at a constant distance. For example, the connecting portion 150 has a cylindrical outer 152 whose one end is supported by the upper shaft body 132 of the upper holding portion 130 , one end of which is supported by the lower shaft body 142 of the lower holding portion 142 , and the other end of which is inside the outer 152 . and a stopper (not shown) disposed inside the outer 152 for determining the stretchable width of the inner 154 (see FIG. 1). In the connecting portion 150, the inner 154 is accommodated so as to be slidable with respect to the outer 152, and has an extendable structure. Further, the position of the stopper can be used to adjust the distance between the upper holding part 130 and the lower holding part 140 and the positional relationship between the upper jaw mouthpiece 110 and the lower jaw mouthpiece 120 .

In the dental connecting member 160 configured as described above, the lower holding part 140 is arranged in front of the upper holding part 130 . That is, the lower jaw mouthpiece 120 is pushed forward from the rear, and the rearward displacement of the lower jaw mouthpiece 120 is restricted. On the other hand, since the inner 154 can be pulled out from the outer 152 to a certain extent, movement of the mandible is less likely to be hindered, and the discomfort felt by the user can be easily reduced. It should be noted that the regulating position and sliding amount of the lower jaw are adjusted by the position of a stopper (not shown) of the connecting portion 150 . Also, the structure of the connecting portion 150 is not limited to the structure described above, and may have, for example, a multi-step elastic structure.

The material constituting the dental connecting member 160 is not particularly limited, but examples thereof include metal materials such as titanium, iron (steel including stainless steel, etc.), gold, silver, platinum, cobalt, chromium, and alloys thereof, and the like. A resin material (eg, polycarbonate resin) having a flexural modulus of 1000 to 3000 MPa as measured according to JIS T6501 is included. The metal material may be improved in corrosion resistance by a chemical conversion film or the like.

[Second embodiment]
The mouthpiece according to the second embodiment of the present invention is similar to the mouthpiece 100 according to the first embodiment except that the upper support portion 170 and the lower support portion 180 are configured to cover part of the row of teeth. configured similarly. Hereinafter, the same reference numerals are given to the same configurations as in the first embodiment, and the description thereof will be omitted.

FIG. 5 is a schematic perspective view of a mouthpiece 100 according to a second embodiment of the invention, and FIG. 6 is a schematic exploded perspective view of the mouthpiece 100. As shown in FIG.

As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the upper support 170 consists of a pair of left and right supports 170a and 170b covering part of the maxillary dentition. The lower support part 180 consists of a pair of left and right support parts 180a and 180b covering part of the lower jaw row of teeth. The pair of left and right support portions 170a and 170b are arranged to cover the left and right molar sides of the maxillary dentition (or not cover the incisors), and the pair of left and right support portions 180a and 180b are arranged to cover the dentition of the lower jaw. positioned to cover the left and right molar sides of the (or not cover the incisors). Although not shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the support portions 170a and 180a are connected by the dental connecting member 160 as in the first embodiment.

The shapes of the upper support portion 170 and the lower support portion 180 may or may not be bilaterally symmetrical.

The lengths of the upper support part 170 and the lower support part 180 in the direction along the tooth row are not particularly limited, and are appropriately selected according to the size and position of the upper holding part 130 and the lower holding part 140 of the dental connecting member 160. . The lengths of the upper support portion 170 and the lower support portion 180 in the direction along the tooth row may be the same or different. For example, from the viewpoint of stably supporting the dental connecting member 160, it is preferable that the lengths of the upper support portion 170 and the lower support portion 180 in the direction along the row of teeth are the same.

The outer surfaces 194 and 204 of the mounting portions 190 and 200 may have an uneven shape corresponding to the shape of the tooth row over the entirety (see FIG. 6), or the portion covered with the upper support portion 170 and the lower support portion 180. It is also possible that only the portion has an uneven shape corresponding to the shape of the tooth row, and the other portion does not have an uneven shape. For example, since the portion not covered by the upper support portion 170 and the lower support portion 180 does not have an uneven shape, the feel on the tongue can be improved.

The thickness of the mounting portions 190 and 200 may or may not be uniform throughout. For example, the thickness of the area of the mounting portions 190 and 200 covered by the upper support portion 170 or the lower support portion 180 (in this embodiment, the front side, for example, the first tooth to the third tooth) is the thickness of the upper support portion 170 or the lower support portion. It is preferably thinner than the thickness of the area not covered by the portion 180 (in this embodiment, the rear side, eg, the fourth to eighth teeth). As a result, the area covered by the upper support part 170 or the lower support part 180 (the front side in the present embodiment) is less likely to become excessively thick, and the feeling of wearing is further improved.

With the above configuration, the upper support part 170 and the lower support part 180 are arranged on the left and right parts of the tooth row, and are not arranged in front of the tooth row. .

[Modification]
In the above-described second embodiment, the upper support portion 170 and the lower support portion 180 cover part of the tooth row in the form shown in FIGS. It can take various forms.

7A and B are schematic perspective views showing modifications of the mouthpiece 100 according to the second embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, illustration of the mounting portions 190 and 200 is omitted for convenience. For example, maxillary mouthpiece 110 may further include a connecting member 210 connecting the pair of left and right supports 170a and 170b, and mandibular mouthpiece 120 may further include a connecting member 220 connecting the pair of left and right supports 180a and 180b. may further have This makes it easier to handle.

The connecting member 210 (or 220) is an arch-shaped member that connects the inner surfaces of the pair of left and right support portions 170a and 170b (or the pair of left and right support portions 180a and 180b) along the inner surface of the row of teeth. (see FIG. 7A), or a bridging member that bridges the palate side of the user (see FIG. 7B). The connecting members 210 and 220 may be integrated with the support portions 170a and 170b (or the support portions 170a and 170b), respectively, or may be separate members.

The material forming the connecting members 210 and 220 is not particularly limited, and may be the same as or different from the material forming the upper support portion 170 . When connecting members 210 and 220 are separate members, metal materials such as stainless steel, gold, and silver can be used as the material constituting connecting members 210 and 220 . Only one of the maxillary mouthpiece 110 and the mandibular mouthpiece 120 may have the connecting member 210 or 220 .

In addition, in the second embodiment, the lower support part 180 is provided so as to cover the inner surface, the bottom surface or the upper surface, and the outer surface of the tooth row, but is not limited to this, and a structure having a wire member may be

FIG. 8 is a schematic perspective view showing a modification of the mouthpiece 100 according to the second embodiment of the invention. In the figure, only the lower jaw mouthpiece 120 is shown for convenience. As shown in FIG. 8, the lower support part 180 has a pair of left and right wire members 186 and is configured to be able to support the lower holding part 140 of the dental connecting member 160 (see FIG. 8). For example, the lower holding portion 140 of the dental connecting member 160 is attached to a base material 188 fixed to a pair of left and right wire members 186 (see FIG. 8).

The wire member 186 can have a shape that surrounds the tooth. Examples of wire member 186 include ball clasps, C-clasp, and the like. The pair of left and right wire members 186 may be connected by a connecting member (not shown) or the like, or may be fixed by a resin floor (not shown) or the like arranged on the lingual side.

Further, the contact portion of the mounting portion 200 with the pair of left and right wire members 186 may be provided with recesses (not shown) or friction surfaces corresponding to the pair of left and right wire members 186 . This makes it easier to attach and fix the mounting portion 200 to the wire member 186 .

Further, in the first embodiment, both the upper support part 170 and the lower support part 180 are provided so as to cover the entire tooth row, and in the second embodiment, the upper support part 170 and the lower support part 180 An example in which both are provided so as to cover only a part of the left and right rows of teeth has been shown, but for example, one of the upper support portion 170 and the lower support portion 180 is provided so as to cover the entire row of teeth, and the other It may be provided so as to cover only part of the left and right tooth rows.

Further, in the first and second embodiments described above, an example in which the mounting portions 190 and 200 are detachably attached to the upper support portion 170 and the lower support portion 180, respectively, is shown, but the upper support portion 170 and the lower support portion The mounting portion 190 or 200 may be detachably attached to only one of 180 . For example, the upper support portion 170 may be configured to detachably attach the mounting portion 190 and the lower support portion 180 may be configured to be directly attachable to the dentition.

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 holding part 132 upper shaft body 134 upper flange part 140 lower holding part 142 lower shaft body 144 lower flange part 150 connecting part 152 outer 154 inner 160 dental connecting member 170 upper supporting part 180 lower support portions 170a, 170b, 180a, 180b support portions 172, 182 recesses 172a, 182a outer inner wall surfaces 172b, 182b inner inner wall surfaces 172c, 194c bottom surfaces 182c, 204c upper surfaces 174, 184 fixing portions 186 wire members 190, 200 Mounting parts 192, 202 Tooth row mold part 194, 204 Outer surface 194a, 204a Outer surface 194b, 204b Inner surface 210 Connecting member

Claims (12)

a maxillary mouthpiece and a mandibular mouthpiece;
a pair of left and right dental connecting members for connecting the maxillary mouthpiece and the mandibular mouthpiece and restricting rearward displacement of the mandibular mouthpiece;
the maxillary mouthpiece having an upper support that supports one end of the dental connecting member;
the mandibular mouthpiece has a lower support that supports the other end of the dental connecting member;
At least one of the upper support portion and the lower support portion is detachably attached with a mounting portion to be mounted on the row of teeth.
mouthpiece. Attachment parts to be attached to the row of teeth are detachably attached to both the upper support part and the lower support part,
A mouthpiece according to claim 1 . The flexural modulus of the mounting portion is lower than the flexural modulus of the upper support portion and the lower support portion.
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 upper support part or the lower support part has a fixing part that fixes the mounting part,
A mouthpiece according to any one of claims 1-4. A contact portion of the upper support portion or the lower support portion with the mounting portion has an uneven shape complementary to a contact portion of the mounting portion with the upper support portion or the lower support portion,
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 upper support part or the lower support part is provided so as to cover the entire dentition,
Mouthpiece according to any one of claims 1-7. At least one of the upper support portion and the lower support portion is composed of a pair of left and right support portions covering part of the tooth row,
Mouthpiece according to any one of claims 1-7. further comprising a connecting member that connects the pair of left and right support portions,
A mouthpiece according to claim 9 . Both the upper support part and the lower support part have a pair of left and right wire members,
Mouthpiece according to any one of claims 1-7. The attachment part is detachably attached to at least one of the upper support part and the lower support part and attached to the row of teeth,
Mouthpiece according to any one of claims 1-11.

Images