WO2022039161A1

WO2022039161A1 - Dental coupling member and mouthpiece using same

Info

Publication number: WO2022039161A1
Application number: PCT/JP2021/030046
Authority: WO
Inventors: 崇史雪田; 雄樹岩淵; 在長谷川
Original assignee: 三井化学株式会社
Priority date: 2020-08-19
Filing date: 2021-08-17
Publication date: 2022-02-24

Abstract

The purpose of the present invention is to provide a dental coupling member whereby a structure for adjusting maxillary and mandibular mouthpieces does not easily degrade over time, and a biofilm is not easily produced.　This dental coupling member is attached to maxillary and mandibular mouthpieces to couple said maxillary and mandibular mouthpieces, regulates rearward displacement of the mandibular mouthpiece when the mouth is closed or when the mouth is opened, and can expand and contract. The dental coupling member comprises: an outer portion that is attached to one of the maxillary or mandibular mouthpieces and has a tubular section having female screw threads formed in an inner circumferential surface; and an inner portion that is attached to the other of the maxillary and mandibular mouthpieces and has a rod-shaped insertion part on which is formed male screw threads that screw together with the female screw threads. The outer portion and the inner portion are coupled by screwing together the female screw threads and the male screw threads, and the surface of the male screw threads and/or the surface of the female screw threads has a resin layer containing a specific resin.

Description

Dental connecting member and mouthpiece using it

The present invention relates to a dental connecting member and a mouthpiece using the dental connecting member.

Mouthpieces for use in the prevention and treatment of sleep apnea syndrome are known.

For example, Patent Document 1 describes a mouthpiece in which an upper jaw and a lower jaw mouthpiece are connected by a connecting member, and the lower jaw mouthpiece is positioned at a position where the lower jaw of a user who wears the upper jaw and the lower jaw is displaced forward and downward. There is. According to Patent Document 1, it is described that the connecting member is rotatably attached to the maxillary and mandibular mouthpieces. With the mouthpiece, the user can move the lower jaw to some extent according to the movable range of the connecting member, and the user feels less discomfort. In addition, it is said that the mouthpiece allows the user to stick out the tongue and ingest a beverage.

Further, Patent Document 2 describes a mouthpiece having the above-mentioned connecting member having a structure in which a rod is inserted into a sleeve to connect them. According to Patent Document 2, by changing the position of the connection portion between the sleeve and the rod with the rotating nut, the length of the connecting member can be adjusted and the position of the lower jaw of the user can be freely adjusted. ing.

Further, Patent Document 3 describes a dental connecting member having an outer, a sleeve that is slidably inserted into the outer, and an inner that is screwed into the sleeve by a screw. According to Patent Document 3, the length of the dental connecting member can be adjusted by the amount of screwing of the screw, and the position of the lower jaw of the user can be freely adjusted.

U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2007/0224567 German Patent Application Publication No. 2012005525 International Publication No. 2018/016258

In the above mouthpiece, it is desired to appropriately adjust the relative positions of the maxillary mouthpiece and the mandibular mouthpiece, that is, the length of the connecting member and the like, if necessary. However, in any of the mouthpieces, the connecting member is made of metal or resin. Therefore, due to deterioration over time or the like, for example, screws or the like for adjusting these lengths may be fixed, making adjustment difficult. In addition, biofilm or the like may be generated in the grooves of screws or the like.

In view of the above problems, an object of the present invention is to provide a dental connecting member in which the structure for adjusting the maxillary and mandibular mouthpieces is less likely to deteriorate over time and biofilms and the like are less likely to occur, and a mouthpiece using the same. do.

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides the following dental connecting members.
A telescopic dental connecting member that is attached to the upper and lower jaw mouthpieces to connect the upper and lower jaw mouthpieces, regulates the posterior displacement of the lower jaw mouthpiece when the mouth is closed or opened, and is an inner circumference. It has a tubular portion with a female screw formed on its surface, and has an outer attached to one of the upper and lower mouth mouthpieces and a rod-shaped insertion portion with a male screw screwed into the female screw. , With an inner attached to the other mouthpiece of the upper and lower mouthpieces, the outer and the inner being connected by screwing the female screw and the male screw, either the male screw or the female screw. A resin layer is provided on one or both surfaces, and the resin layer contains one or more resins selected from the group consisting of polyamide-based resin, polycarbonate resin, olefin-based resin, urethane-based resin, and polyester-based resin. Dental connection member.

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention also provides the following mouthpieces.
A mouthpiece comprising a maxillary and mandibular mouthpiece and a dental connecting member that is attached to the sides of the maxillary and mandibular mouthpieces in pairs on the left and right to connect the maxillary and mandibular mouthpieces.

In the dental connecting member of the present invention, the connecting portion of the inner and outer parts does not easily deteriorate over time. Therefore, the mouthpiece using the dental connecting member can be used for a long period of time while finely adjusting the positions of the maxillary mouthpiece and the mandibular mouthpiece. Further, biofilms and the like are less likely to be generated, which is suitable for hygiene.

FIG. 1 is a schematic front view showing the configuration of a mouthpiece according to the present invention. FIG. 2A is a schematic side view at the time of closing showing the configuration of the mouthpiece according to the present invention, and FIG. 2B is a schematic side view at the time of opening showing the configuration of the mouthpiece according to the present invention. FIG. 3A is a side view of the dental connecting member according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3B is a cross-sectional view of the dental connecting member shown in FIG. 3A. FIG. 3C is a cross-sectional view of the dental connecting member shown in FIG. 3A. 4A is a side view of the first outer of the dental connecting member according to the embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 4B is a side view of the second outer of the dental connecting member, and FIG. 4C is the dental connecting. It is a side view of the inner of a member.

Hereinafter, the dental connecting member of the present invention and the mouthpiece using the same will be described based on one embodiment. However, the dental connecting member and the mouthpiece of the present invention are not limited to the embodiment. In the following description, "anterior" and "posterior" are the directions toward the front of the user wearing the mouthpiece (the direction toward the lip side when viewed from the tongue body in the oral cavity) and the posterior to the user, respectively. It means the direction toward (the direction toward the throat side when viewed from the tongue body in the oral cavity). In addition, "downward" means the direction toward the bottom of the user wearing the mouthpiece (the direction from the top of the head to the feet when the user stands upright), and "left-right direction" means the use with the mouthpiece attached. It means the left-right direction toward the front of the user (specifically, the direction toward the cheeks on both sides when viewed from the center of the upper jaw) with the center of the upper jaw of the person as a reference. "Outside" and "inside" mean the side closer to and far from the body surface of the user wearing the mouthpiece, respectively.

Further, in the following explanation, the time when the user wearing the mouthpiece is closed is referred to as "when the mouth is closed", and the time when the user wearing the mouthpiece is open is referred to as "when the mouth is opened". When the mouth is closed, the maxillary mouthpiece and the mandibular mouthpiece are arranged so that their facing surfaces are substantially parallel to each other, and when the mouth is opened, the maxillary mouthpiece moves in an arcuate orbit, whereby the maxillary mouthpiece and the mandibular mouthpiece are arranged. The pieces are arranged non-parallel so that the facing surfaces thereof have an angle of about 45 ° at the maximum.

1. 1. Mouthpiece The mouthpiece 100 according to the present invention is shown in FIG. 1 which is a schematic front view showing the configuration of the mouthpiece 100, FIG. 2A which is a side view when the mouth is closed, and FIG. 2B which is a side view when the mouthpiece is opened. Has a pair of opposing maxillary and mandibular mouthpieces and a pair of left and right dental connecting members 200 connecting the maxillary and mandibular mouthpieces. The maxillary mouthpiece 110 is configured to be attached to the upper jaw of the user, and the lower jaw mouthpiece 120 is configured to be attached to the lower jaw of the user.

The maxillary mouthpiece 110 has a maxillary mouthpiece main body 114 for mounting on the user's upper jaw, in which a dentition type taking portion 112 that can be mounted on the user's upper jaw dentition is formed. Further, the mandibular mouthpiece 120 has a mandibular mouthpiece main body portion 124 for mounting on the user's lower jaw, in which a dentition type taking portion 122 that can be mounted on the user's lower jaw dentition is formed. The maxillary mouthpiece 110 and the mandibular mouthpiece 120 are connected by a dental connecting member 200. One end of the dental connecting member 200 is attached to the outer surface 116 of the maxillary mouthpiece body 114, and the other end is attached to the outer surface 126 of the mandibular mouthpiece body 124.

The maxillary mouthpiece main body 114 has an upper holding portion 130 for attaching and holding the outer 210 of the dental connecting member 200 on the outer surface 116 thereof. Further, the lower jaw mouthpiece main body portion 124 has a lower holding portion 140 for attaching and holding the inner 240 of the dental connecting member 200 on the outer surface 126 thereof. The lower holding portion 140 is arranged at a position in front of the upper holding portion 130 when the opening is closed.

The upper holding portion 130 has a substantially cylindrical upper shaft body 132 fixed to the outer surface 116 of the maxillary mouthpiece main body 114 and extending outward from the outer surface 116, and further outward from the tip of the upper shaft body 132. It has a columnar upper flange portion 134 extending to the surface and a columnar upper flange portion 134. The bottom surface of the upper flange portion 134 has a rounded rectangular shape having a major axis and a minor axis, and the length of the major axis is larger than the diameter of the circle constituting the bottom surface of the upper shaft body 132. The orientation of the long axis may have an inclination angle of 60 ° to 120 ° with respect to the facing surfaces of the maxillary mouthpiece 110 and the mandibular mouthpiece 120. In this embodiment, the long axis is tilted by about 90 ° with respect to the facing surface.

The lower holding portion 140 has a substantially cylindrical lower shaft body 142 fixed to the outer surface 126 of the lower jaw mouthpiece main body portion 124 and extending outward from the outer surface 126, and further outward from the tip of the lower shaft body 142. It has a columnar lower flange portion 144 extending into the. The bottom surface of the lower flange portion 144 has a rounded rectangular shape having a major axis and a minor axis, and the length of the major axis is larger than the diameter of the circle constituting the bottom surface of the lower axis body 142. The orientation of the long axis may have an inclination angle of 60 ° to 120 ° with respect to the facing surfaces of the lower jaw mouthpiece 120 and the upper jaw mouthpiece 110. In this embodiment, the long axis is tilted by about 90 ° with respect to the facing surface.

The maxillary mouthpiece 110 and the mandibular mouthpiece 120 are made of a material that is not easily damaged by the normal human occlusal force.

For example, the maxillary mouthpiece 110 and the mandibular mouthpiece 120 are a single hard material (for example, acrylic resin) having a flexural modulus of 2000 MPa or more and 3000 MPa or less measured according to JIS T6501, or a soft material of 10 MPa or more and 300 MPa or less. It may be formed from a material in which a hard material of 1000 MPa or more and 3000 MPa or less is combined.

Further, the maxillary mouthpiece 110 and the mandibular mouthpiece 120 may be formed of a relatively soft material having a tensile strength of 150 N or more and less than 2000 N, preferably 150 N or more and 500 N or less, in order to enhance the followability of the user's teeth.

The tensile strength was obtained when a hole of φ1.5 mm was made in the dentition 6 of the maxillary mouthpiece of the mouthpiece (thickness 3 mm) manufactured using the Nissin standard model, and a tensile test was performed in the molar direction (posterior). In addition, it means the strength at which the maxillary mouthpiece is torn.

Examples of the material having a tensile strength of 150 N or more and less than 2000 N include an olefin resin, a polyester resin, a urethane resin, a polyamide resin, and an acrylic rubber resin. Of these, olefin resins are preferred.

The olefin resin is a polymer obtained by homopolymerizing an olefin or a copolymer obtained by polymerizing an olefin with another monomer. As the olefin, an olefin having 2 to 6 carbon atoms including ethylene, propylene, butene, methylpentene, hexene and the like is preferable. Examples of the other monomers include vinyl acetate and the like.

As the olefin resin, polyethylene (PE), polyethylene resin, polypropylene (PP), polypropylene resin, ethylene / vinyl acetate copolymer (EVA) and the like are preferable, and polyethylene (PE), polyethylene resin, polypropylene and the like are preferable. (PP), polypropylene-based resin and the like are more preferable.

The polyester resin is a polycondensate of a polyvalent carboxylic acid (dicarboxylic acid, etc.) and a polyalcohol (diol, etc.). Examples of the polyester-based resin include polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and the like.

Urethane-based resin is a polycondensate of a compound having an isocyanate group and a compound having a hydroxyl group. Examples of the urethane-based resin include thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) and the like.

Polyamide-based resin is a (co) polymer formed by bonding a large number of monomers by amide bonds. Examples of the polyamide-based resin include nylon, para-based amides, meta-based amides, and the like.

Acrylic rubber resin is a (co) polymer containing acrylic rubber as the main component. Examples of the acrylic rubber resin include block copolymers of methyl methacrylate and butyl acrylate.

As a material having a tensile strength of 150 N or more and less than 2000 N, a commercially available material such as F327 (polypropylene resin) manufactured by Prime Polymer Co., Ltd. may be used.

In the present embodiment, the maxillary mouthpiece main body 114 and the mandibular mouthpiece main body 124 are formed with dentition

type taking portions

112 and 122 that can be attached to the dentition. However, the maxillary mouthpiece body 114 and the mandibular mouthpiece body 124 do not have to be dentate as long as they have a shape that allows the tooth row to fit, and the maxillary mouthpiece body 114 and the mandibular mouthpiece body 124 are one of the maxillary mouthpiece body 114 and the mandibular mouthpiece body 124. The dentition

type taking portions

112 and 122 may be formed only in the portions.

Further, the maxillary and

mandibular mouthpieces

110 and 120 may be made of a plurality of materials, or may be made of a combination of a portion made of an organic substance and a portion made of an inorganic substance.

2. 2. Dental connection member The dental connection member 200 for connecting the upper jaw mouthpiece 110 and the lower jaw mouthpiece 120 of the mouthpiece 100 will be described by way of an embodiment. However, the dental connecting member of the present invention is not limited to this configuration.

A side view of the dental connecting member 200 of the present embodiment is shown in FIG. 3A, and a cross-sectional view of the dental connecting member is shown in FIGS. 3B and 3C. 3B and 3C are cross-sectional views when the dental connecting member 200 is cut in parallel in the length direction (the axial direction of the insertion portion 245 of the inner 240).

The dental connecting member 200 includes an outer 210 having a tubular portion 211 having a female screw 237 formed on the inner peripheral surface, and an inner 240 having a rod-shaped insertion portion 245 having a male screw 247 formed on the inner peripheral surface. The outer 210 and the inner 240 are connected by screwing the female screw 237 of the outer 210 (in this embodiment, the female screw 237 arranged on the second outer 230) and the male screw 247 of the inner 240. The dental connecting member 200 is attached to the maxillary mouthpiece 110 and the mandibular mouthpiece 120 so that the inner 240 is located in front of the outer 210 (FIG. 2A, etc.). This makes it possible to suppress the rearward displacement of the lower jaw of the user wearing the mouthpiece 100.

The dental connecting member 200 can be expanded and contracted within a certain range according to the movement of the user's lower jaw. The state shown in FIG. 3B is a state when the user closes the mouth, that is, the length of the dental connecting member 200 is short, and the state shown in FIG. 3C is a state when the user opens the mouth. That is, it is a state when the length of the dental connecting member 200 is extended. In the present embodiment, the outer 210 is composed of two members, a first outer 220 and a second outer 230. The second outer 230 is arranged inside the first outer 220, and the second outer 230 can be pulled out from the first outer 220. Therefore, the user can move the lower jaw within the range in which the second outer 230 can slide, and the discomfort of the user can be reduced (FIGS. 3B and 3C). Hereinafter, each configuration will be described.

FIG. 4A shows a side view of the first outer 220. The first outer 220 is an upper attachment for attachment to a substantially cylindrical first tubular portion 225 having a through hole 224 and an upper jaw mouthpiece 110 arranged near the end of the first tubular portion 225. It has a portion 222 and.

The upper mounting portion 222 is arranged near the end portion of the first cylindrical portion 225 on the through hole 224 side, but is arranged at a position deviated from the extending direction of the through hole 224. The structure of the upper mounting portion 222 is not particularly limited as long as it can be mounted on the upper holding portion 130 of the maxillary mouthpiece 110 described above.

On the other hand, the first tubular portion 225 is a substantially cylindrical member having a through hole 224 at one end and a small diameter portion 226 having a smaller diameter than the other region at the other end. The inner diameter of the region other than the small diameter portion 226 of the first tubular portion 225 is not particularly limited as long as the second outer 230 (second tubular portion 235 and the first enlarged diameter portion 236) described later can be accommodated inside. , May be substantially constant or may change as needed. The inner diameter of the small diameter portion 226 is set to be larger than the outer diameter of the second tubular portion 235 of the second outer 230, which will be described later, and smaller than the outer diameter of the first enlarged diameter portion 236 of the second outer 230.

FIG. 4B shows a side view of the second outer 230. The second outer 230 is a member that can be pulled out from the first tubular portion 225 and is rotatably inserted into the inside of the first tubular portion 225 of the first outer 220. The second outer 230 is arranged at one end of a substantially cylindrical second tubular portion 235 and a second tubular portion 235 that can be accommodated in the first tubular portion 225 of the first outer 220. It has a first diameter-expanded portion 236 having a diameter larger than that of the tubular portion 235. The first diameter-expanded portion 236 is arranged behind the second cylindrical portion 235, that is, on the upper mounting portion 222 side of the first outer. The second outer 230 is inserted into the first outer 220 through the through hole 224.

The outer diameter of the second tubular portion 235 is smaller than the opening diameter of the small diameter portion 226 of the first outer 220. As a result, the second outer 230 can be pulled out forward from the first outer 220. On the other hand, the inner diameter of the second tubular portion 235 is substantially the same as the outer diameter of the insertion portion 245 of the inner 240, and a screw thread (female screw) 237 is arranged on the inner peripheral surface thereof. The inner 240 is fixed to the outer 210 (second outer 230) by screwing the thread (male screw) 247 of the inner 240 into the thread (female thread) 237. The screw thread (female thread) 237 may be arranged on the entire inner circumference of the second tubular portion 235, or may be arranged only in a part thereof.

On the other hand, the outer diameter of the first enlarged diameter portion 236 is larger than the outer diameter of the second tubular portion 235, and the outer diameter of the first enlarged diameter portion 236 is the inner diameter of the through hole 224 of the first outer 220. It may be smaller and larger than the opening diameter of the small diameter portion 226 of the first outer 220. When the first diameter-expanded portion 236 has such an outer diameter, when the second outer 230 is slid out of the first tubular portion 225 of the first outer 220, the first diameter-expanded portion 236 becomes the first. 1 It abuts on the small diameter portion 226 of the first tubular portion 225 of the outer 220. As a result, further sliding of the second outer 230 is restricted, and the removal of the second outer 230 is suppressed (see FIG. 3C).

Here, the first enlarged diameter portion 236 has a screw hole 238 that can be engaged with a screwdriver at the end portion of the first outer 220 on the through hole 224 side. When a screwdriver is inserted from the through hole 224, the screwdriver is engaged with the screw hole 238, and the second outer 230 is rotated, the thread 237 and the inner in the second tubular portion 235 of the second outer 230 are rotated. The screwing position of the insertion portion 245 of the 240 with the thread 247 is adjusted. Therefore, the amount of the inner 240 inserted into the second outer 230 (second tubular portion 235) can be adjusted, and the length of the dental connecting member 200 can be adjusted.

Further, FIG. 4C shows a side view of the inner 240. The inner 240 has a lower attachment portion 242 for attaching to the lower jaw mouthpiece 120, a rod-shaped insertion portion 245, and a second diameter expansion portion 246 for abutting the small diameter portion 226 of the first outer 220 described above. Have.

The lower mounting portion 242 is arranged so as to face the insertion portion 245 with the second enlarged diameter portion 246 interposed therebetween, and is arranged on substantially the same straight line as the extending direction of the insertion portion 245. The structure of the lower attachment portion 242 is not particularly limited as long as it can be attached to the lower holding portion 140 of the lower jaw mouthpiece 120 described above.

The insertion portion 245 has a rod shape, and a thread (male thread) 247 is arranged on the surface. The outer diameter of the insertion portion 245 is substantially the same as the inner diameter of the second tubular portion 235 of the second outer 230 described above. Further, the length of the insertion portion 245 is appropriately selected according to the desired adjustment amount of the dental connecting member 200. Further, the thread (male thread) 247 may have a shape that can be screwed with the thread (female thread) 237 of the second outer 230. Here, the screw thread (male screw) 247 may be arranged on the entire outer circumference of the insertion portion 245, but in the present embodiment, it is arranged only partially. The axial length of the insertion portion 245 of the thread (male thread) 247 (the length represented by A in FIG. 4C) is not particularly limited.

On the other hand, the second diameter expansion portion 246 is arranged between the lower mounting portion 242 and the insertion portion 245, and when the insertion portion 245 of the inner 240 is housed in the second tubular portion 235 of the second outer 230. , Is a member for suppressing excessive entry of the inner 240. Further, even if stress is applied to the dental connecting member 200 from the lateral direction, the second enlarged diameter portion 246 can be brought into contact with the first outer 220 to suppress deformation. The shape of the second enlarged diameter portion 246 is not particularly limited as long as the outer diameter thereof is larger than the outer diameter of the insertion portion 245 and larger than the inner diameter of the small diameter portion 226 of the first outer 220. For example, it may be columnar, elliptical, or the like. Further, it may be a collar-shaped member wider than the lower mounting portion 242, or may be a member having substantially the same diameter as the end portion of the lower mounting portion 242.

When the inner 250 has the second enlarged diameter portion 246, it is possible to prevent the second outer 230 from excessively entering when the second outer 230 is slid in the direction of accommodating the second outer 230 in the first outer 220 (see FIG. 3B).

In the dental connecting member 200, the length between the first enlarged diameter portion 236 of the first outer 220 and the second enlarged diameter portion 246 of the inner 240 is connected to the second outer 230 (and the second outer 230). The inner 240) is slidable. Further, the minimum value of the distance from the upper mounting portion 222 to the lower mounting portion 242 depends on the screwing position between the female screw 237 of the second tubular portion 235 of the second outer 230 and the male screw 247 of the insertion portion 245 of the inner 240. It is adjustable. For example, when the inner 240 is fixed on the small diameter portion 226 side of the first outer 220, the amount of the inner 240 protruding from the second outer 230 increases. Therefore, the distance from the upper mounting portion 222 to the lower mounting portion 242 becomes long. On the other hand, when the inner 240 is fixed on the through hole 224 side of the first outer 220, the amount of the inner 240 protruding from the second outer 230 is reduced. Therefore, the distance from the upper mounting portion 222 to the lower mounting portion 242 is shortened. According to such a dental connecting member 200, the inner 240 is inserted into the second outer 230 by screwing the male screw 247 of the inner 240 and the female screw 237 of the second tubular portion 235 of the second outer 230. Since it can be limited steplessly, the amount of advancement of the mandibular mouthpiece 120 can be set according to the individual difference of the user.

Further, in the present embodiment, with the inner 240 attached to the lower jaw mouthpiece 120 and the first outer 220 attached to the upper jaw mouthpiece 110, a screwdriver is inserted into the through hole 224 of the first outer 220 to insert the second outer 230. Can be rotated to adjust the amount of screwing between the male screw 247 of the inner 240 and the female screw 237 of the second outer 230. Since the depth at which the inner 240 is inserted can be adjusted with respect to the second outer 230, it is easy to set the amount of advancement of the lower jaw mouthpiece 120.

Here, in the present embodiment, a resin layer (not shown) containing a specific resin is provided on the surface of either one or both of the male screw 247 of the inner 240 and the female screw 237 of the second outer 230. .. Since the mouthpiece 100 is used in the oral cavity, if the male screw 247 and the female screw 237 are made of metal or resin, they may deteriorate over time and become fixed. Then, these frictional forces increase, and in some cases, the male screw may be damaged. On the other hand, if a resin layer containing a specific resin is arranged on the surface of the male screw 247 and / or the female screw 237, these sticking can be suppressed. Therefore, even if time elapses, the frictional force between the male screw 247 and the female screw 237 is unlikely to change over a long period of time, and the above-mentioned adjustment can be easily performed.

Furthermore, if the member used in the oral cavity has irregularities, a biofilm or the like may occur in the recesses. For example, biofilms may also form in these grooves in male and female threads. However, if the surface of the male screw 247 or the female screw 237 has a resin layer containing a specific resin as in the present embodiment, the formation of a biofilm is likely to be suppressed.

Here, the resin contained in the resin layer is a resin that is less likely to be worn when the male screw 247 and the female screw 237 are screwed, and is less likely to generate a biofilm. Specifically, a polyamide resin, a polycarbonate resin, an olefin resin, a urethane resin, a polyester resin and the like are included. The polyamide-based resin, olefin-based resin (however, ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer (EVA) is excluded), urethane-based resin, and polyester-based resin are the same as the resin used for the above-mentioned mouthpiece. Further, the polycarbonate resin may have a carbonate group and may be a known polycarbonate resin. Among these, a polyamide-based resin or a polycarbonate-based resin is particularly preferable because it is easy to adjust the frictional force of the male screw 247 and the female screw 237 within a desired range, and the durability is high.

The resin layer may contain only the resin, but may contain components other than the resin, if necessary. For example, it may contain various components such as an antibacterial agent.

Further, the resin layer may be arranged on the surface of either the male screw 247 or the female screw 237, but it is particularly preferable that the resin layer is arranged on the surface of the male screw 247. When a resin layer is formed on the surface of the male screw 247, it is easy to adjust the film thickness and length.

When the resin layer is provided on the surface of the male screw 247, the axial length of the insertion portion 245 of the resin layer, that is, the length of the region where the resin layer is formed is the axial length of the insertion portion 245 of the male screw 247. With respect to the length of the portion where the thread is formed, the length represented by A in FIG. 4C), 25% or more is preferable, 30% or more is more preferable, and 50% or more is further preferable. The upper limit is 100%. When the length of the resin layer is 25% or more, the frictional force between the male screw 247 and the female screw 237 can be kept within an appropriate range for a long period of time.

Further, the thickness of the resin layer is appropriately selected depending on the depth of the thread and the like, and is not particularly limited as long as it does not affect the screwing of the male screw 247 and the female screw 237.

Further, it is preferable to form the resin layer so that the frictional force between the male screw 247 and the female screw 237 is 100 N · cm or less, and the frictional force is more preferably 80 N · cm or less, further preferably 50 N · cm or less. The lower limit is preferably 0.01 N · cm, more preferably 0.05 N · cm. The frictional force can be measured by, for example, a commercially available torque gauge. Further, the frictional force can be adjusted by the type and thickness of the resin, the axial length of the insertion portion 245 of the resin layer, and the like.

[Manufacturing method of dental connecting member]
The dental connecting member is, for example, a step of preparing a first outer, a second outer, and an inner, respectively (hereinafter, also referred to as a “preparation step”), and a resin on the surface of a female screw and / or an inner male screw of the second outer. It can be produced by performing a step of forming a layer (hereinafter, also referred to as a "resin layer forming step") and a step of assembling a first outer, a second outer, and an inner (hereinafter, also referred to as an "assembling step"). However, the method for manufacturing the dental connecting member is not limited to the method.

In the preparation process, the first outer, the second outer, and the inner are prepared. These can be produced by a known method. These include, for example, titanium or metal materials such as titanium-containing alloys, iron (steel containing stainless steel, etc.), and alloys such as gold, silver, platinum, cobalt, and chromium, and bending measured according to JIS T6501. It can be formed from a hard resin material (for example, polycarbonate resin) having an elastic modulus of 1000 MPa or more and 3000 MPa or less. The metal material may have improved corrosion resistance by a chemical conversion film or the like.

In the resin layer forming step, a resin layer is formed on the surface of the above-mentioned female screw of the second outer and the male screw of the inner. Here, the above-mentioned resin may be directly applied to the female screw of the second outer or the male screw of the inner to form a resin layer, but a solution in which the resin is dissolved in a solvent is prepared and the solution is prepared. It is preferable to apply or spray on the surface of the female screw of the second outer or the male screw of the inner, or to immerse the second outer or inner in the solution to form a resin layer. In particular, when the resin layer is formed by immersion, no special device is required and the resin layer can be formed in a short time, which is preferable. The type of solvent used when forming the resin layer is not particularly limited, and is appropriately selected according to the type of resin described above. The coating and dipping may be repeated as needed. Further, heating, drying, baking (fusing) and the like may be performed as needed. In particular, when the solution is not only applied, sprayed, or soaked, but also baked, it is easy to adjust the torque to a desired range as described above, and it is easy to obtain the effect for a long period of time.

In the assembly process, the second outer is inserted into the first tubular part of the first outer from the through hole side. Next, the inner insertion portion is inserted into the second tubular portion of the second outer, and the female screw in the second tubular portion of the second outer is screwed with the male screw of the inner. As a result, the second outer and inner are fixed. As a result, the above-mentioned dental connecting member is produced.

[Other embodiments]
The above-described embodiment shows an example of a dental connecting member, and the dental connecting member of the present embodiment is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various other embodiments are made within the scope of the idea of the invention. Needless to say, the form is also possible.

For example, in the embodiment described above, the dental connecting member was attached to the mouthpiece so that the inner was located more anterior and the outer was located more posterior, but the inner was located more posterior and the outer was located. The dental connecting member may be attached to the mouthpiece so that it is located more anteriorly.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, the dental connecting member is provided on the outer surface of the maxillary and mandibular mouthpieces, but the dental connecting member may be provided on the inner surface of the maxillary and mandibular mouthpieces.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, the small diameter portion of the first outer and the first enlarged diameter portion of the second outer or the second expanded portion of the inner are in contact with each other to prevent further sliding of the second outer. However, it is not necessary to have these enlarged diameter portions. For example, a magnet may be arranged to prevent the second outer from sliding in a non-contact manner by a magnetic force or the like.

[Example 1]
The first outer 220 shown in FIG. 4A, the second outer 230 shown in FIG. 4B, and the inner 240 shown in FIG. 4C were prepared. Next, the portion of the inner 240 where the male screw 247 was formed was immersed in a solution containing a resin (polyamide) and water. Then, it was dried and further baked to form a resin layer. The axial length of the insertion portion 245 of the resin layer was set to 90% of the axial length of the insertion portion 245 of the male screw 247 (the length represented by A in FIG. 4C). Then, the first outer 220, the second outer 230, and the inner 240 were combined to prepare a dental connecting member. The average value of the frictional force when the male screw 247 of the inner 240 was screwed into the female screw 237 of the second outer 230 was 10 N · cm. The frictional force was measured with a torque gauge HTGS manufactured by Imada. Further, the frictional force change was measured by measuring the frictional force in the same manner as described above after operating 5 mm back and forth. Then, those in which the frictional force changed by 80% or more with respect to the initial frictional force were evaluated as having a change. Further, the presence or absence of biofilm generation was determined by the Kikkoman Biochemifa Lumitester, Lucipack Water, after immersing in a cocoa solution for 30 minutes, to determine that biofilm was present.

[Comparative Examples 1 to 3]
A dental connecting member was produced in the same manner as in Example 1 except that the length of the resin layer was changed as shown in Table 1 or the resin layer was not formed.

As described above, when a resin layer made of polyamide is formed on the surface of either one or both of the inner male screw and the second outer female screw, the frictional force at the time of screwing is low and the friction is low. The force was hard to change (Example 1). On the other hand, when the resin layer mainly contained EVA (ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer resin) or acrylic resin, the generation of biofilm could be suppressed, but the frictional force changed (Comparative Example 1). And 2). Further, when the resin layer was not formed, a biofilm was generated (Comparative Example 3).

This application claims priority under US Provisional Application No. 63 / 067,342 filed on August 19, 2020. All content and drawings contained in the US provisional application are incorporated herein by reference.

According to the mouthpiece of the present invention, it is possible to limit the posterior displacement of the lower jaw of the user, which is very effective in the prevention and treatment of sleep apnea syndrome. In addition, the mouthpiece of the present invention has a better wearing feeling than the conventional mouthpiece, and is less likely to be damaged or deformed. Therefore, it can be used not only for the prevention and treatment of sleep apnea syndrome, but also for the prevention and treatment of temporomandibular joint disease and the suppression of bruxism.

100 Mouthpiece 110

Maxillary mouthpiece

112, 122 Maxillary mouthpiece 114

Upper mouthpiece body

116, 126 Outer side surface 120 Mandibular mouthpiece 124 Mandibular mouthpiece body 130 Upper holding part 132 Upper shaft body 134 Upper flange part 140 Lower Holding part 142 Lower shaft body 144 Lower flange part 200 Dental connecting member 210 Outer 220 First outer 222 Upper mounting part 225 First tubular part 226 Small diameter part 230 Second outer 235 Second tubular part 236 First enlarged part 237 Female thread 240 Inner 242 Lower mounting part 245 Insertion part 246 Second diameter expansion part 247 Male thread

Claims

A dental connecting member that is attached to the maxillary and mandibular mouthpieces to connect the maxillary and mandibular mouthpieces, regulates the posterior displacement of the mandibular mouthpiece when the mouth is closed or opened, and is expandable and contractible.
An outer that has a tubular portion with a female screw formed on the inner peripheral surface and is attached to one of the maxillary and mandibular mouthpieces.
An inner having a rod-shaped insertion portion formed with a male screw to be screwed into the female screw and attached to the other mouthpiece of the maxillary and mandibular mouthpieces.
Have,
The outer and the inner are connected by screwing the female screw and the male screw.
A resin layer is provided on the surface of either or both of the male screw and the female screw.
The resin layer contains one or more resins selected from the group consisting of polyamide resins, polycarbonate resins, olefin resins, urethane resins, and polyester resins.
Dental connecting member.
Having the resin layer on the surface of the male screw,
The axial length of the insertion portion of the resin layer is 25% or more with respect to the axial length of the insertion portion of the male screw.
The dental connecting member according to claim 1.
The frictional force between the female screw and the male screw is 100 N · cm or less.
The dental connecting member according to claim 1 or 2.
The outer has a first outer and a second outer in which the outer is retractably housed and the female thread is formed.
The female screw of the second outer and the male screw of the inner are screwed together.
The dental connecting member according to any one of claims 1 to 3.
With maxillary and mandibular mouthpieces,
The dental connecting member according to any one of claims 1 to 4, which is attached to the side surfaces of the maxillary and mandibular mouthpieces in pairs on the left and right to connect the maxilla and the mandibular mouthpiece.
Has a mouthpiece.