WO2022118486A1

WO2022118486A1 - Mouthpiece

Info

Publication number: WO2022118486A1
Application number: PCT/JP2021/002705
Authority: WO
Inventors: 秀之七海; 絢美三浦
Original assignee: Ｎｅｕｔｒａｌ株式会社
Priority date: 2020-12-02
Filing date: 2021-01-27
Publication date: 2022-06-09
Also published as: JP2024004511A; CN113058254A; CN113058254B

Abstract

Provided is a mouthpiece wherein the bite accuracy and the feeling of wearing the mouthpiece are improved compared to preexisting mouthpieces. A mouthpiece 10 comprises a posterior teeth covering section 12 that covers posterior teeth in one of the upper jaw and the lower jaw. The posterior teeth covering section 12 comprises a first layer 22, in which a relief 26 corresponding to posterior teeth in the other of the upper jaw and the lower jaw is formed on one surface thereof, and a second layer 24 that is provided on the other surface of the first layer 22, contacts the posterior teeth in the one of the upper jaw and the lower jaw, and is harder than the first layer 22.

Description

Mouthpiece

The present invention relates to a mouthpiece.

In recent years, various studies have been conducted to improve the meshing of teeth in order to improve the exercise performance of the person who exercises when exercising. In general, when the tooth engagement of the exerciser is improved, the posture of the exerciser is improved, the respiratory function can be maintained in a state closer to the normal state during non-exercise, and the muscle strength is more easily exerted. Is known to have the effect of. Various professional athletes and trainers are paying attention to such an action, and an increasing number of people actually wear a mouthpiece during exercise. As a mouthpiece used for improving the exercise performance of the wearer, for example, the mouthpiece described in Patent Document 1 is known.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2000-157657

It is an object of the present invention to provide a mouthpiece that can improve the accuracy of meshing and the feeling of wearing as compared with the conventional mouthpiece.

One aspect of the present invention comprises a molar covering covering the molars on one of the maxilla and mandible, the molar covering having irregularities on one surface corresponding to the molars on the other of the maxilla or mandible. The first layer is provided with a second layer which is provided on the other surface of the first layer and is in contact with the molars on one of the maxilla and the mandible and is harder than the first layer.

It is a schematic perspective view which shows the state which attached the mouthpiece by embodiment. It is a top view of the mouthpiece. It is a perspective view of the mouthpiece. It is a bottom view of the mouthpiece. It is a front view of the mouthpiece. It is a side view of the mouthpiece. It is sectional drawing in the cross section AA of FIG. It is sectional drawing in the BB cross section of FIG. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line CC of FIG. It is the bottom view of the mouthpiece by the modification.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described. In the embodiment, a mouthpiece to be attached to the maxillary side will be described in detail as an example, but the present invention can also be applied to a mouthpiece to be attached to the mandibular side. Further, in the embodiment, the configuration of the mouthpiece will be described in detail by taking as an example a person having 14 teeth from the left second molar to the right second molar. It is also assumed that the wearer has a third molar or does not have some teeth. In such a case, the description of the relationship between the specific tooth and the mouthpiece may be read as the description of the tooth adjacent to the specific tooth and the mouthpiece. As an example, when the wearer has a third molar, the description of the relationship between the second molar and the mouthpiece may be read as the description of the relationship between the third molar and the mouthpiece. In the following description, the term "molar" may be used without specifying a number as necessary, but the term "molar" refers to both the first molar and the second molar, depending on the context. Or it shall mean only one. Further, in the following description, the term "molar" may be used, and the term "molar" includes molars and premolars. Further, in the following description, "cheek side", "labial side", "lingual side" and "palatal side" may be used as terms indicating a direction. The buccal side refers to the outer front side of the premolars and molars, and the labial side refers to the outer front side of the canines, lateral incisors, and middle incisors. The lingual side refers to the premolars and molars of the lower jaw, and the palatal side refers to the premolars and molars of the upper jaw.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the mouthpiece. In FIG. 1, the wearer's gums and teeth are shown by broken lines. The mouthpiece 10 has a shape that covers the teeth and gums on the U side of the maxilla. The fact that the mouthpiece 10 covers the teeth or gums means that at least the mouthpiece 10 partially contacts the surface of the teeth or gums and the mouthpiece 10 partially covers the surface of the teeth or gums. Therefore, covering does not necessarily mean only an aspect in which the entire tooth cannot be visually recognized by the mouthpiece 10. When attached, the mouthpiece 10 is interposed between the teeth on the U side of the upper jaw and the teeth on the L side of the lower jaw so that they do not come into direct contact with each other. The mouthpiece 10 is formed by integrally molding a relatively soft thermoplastic resin such as ethylene vinyl acetate or polyolefin. The mouthpiece 10 can be manufactured by acquiring the wearer's tooth profile by a known means such as an impression material and a 3D scanner, and by mechanical means such as a programmed cutting device or by a technician such as a dental technician.

2 is a top view, FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the mouthpiece, FIG. 4 is a bottom view of the mouthpiece, FIG. 5 is a front view of the mouthpiece, and FIG. 6 is a front view of the mouthpiece. It is a side view of. FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA of FIG. As shown in FIGS. 2 to 7, the mouthpiece 10 has a U-shape as a whole in a plan view, and both ends of the mouthpiece 10 have second molars at both ends of the wearer's dentition. cover. The mouthpiece mainly comprises two molar coverings 12 and a central covering 14.

The molar covering portion 12 extends substantially linearly in a top view and covers the second molar, the first molar, the second premolar, and the first premolar. Inside the molar covering portion 12, unevenness 16 corresponding to the outer shape of the second molar, the first molar, the second premolar, and the first premolar is formed. Two molar coverings 12 are arranged on both sides in the width direction, and each molar covering 12 covers the corresponding tooth. Specifically, the molar covering portion 12 has a U-shaped cross-sectional shape that opens upward, and has a palatal side surface and a buccal side surface of the second molar, the first molar, the second premolar, and the first premolar, respectively. , And at least one surface of the bottom surface. The inner surface 18 and the inner bottom surface 20 of the molar covering portion 12 are formed with irregularities 16 corresponding to the shapes of the second molar, the first molar, the second premolar, and the first premolar. The horizontally extending bottom of the molar covering portion 12 has a two-layer structure in which materials having different hardness are laminated. The two-layer structure includes a relatively soft first layer 22 and a relatively hard second layer 24. The hardness of the first layer 22 is preferably, for example, a shore A hardness of 30 to 95. The hardness of the second layer 24 is higher than that of the first layer 22, and it is preferable that the second layer 24 has, for example, a shore A hardness of 70 to 100. As the first layer 22, for example, a soft thermoplastic resin such as EVA (Ethylene-Vinyl Acetate) can be used. As the second layer 24, for example, a styrene-based thermoplastic elastomer such as SBS (Styrene-Butadiene-Styrene) resin can be used.

The first layer 22 is formed on the lower side (the side closer to the facing tooth), and the second layer 24 is formed on the upper side (the side closer to the covering tooth). On the lower surface of the first layer 22, an uneven shape 26 corresponding to the meshing surface of the first molar on the mandibular side is formed. The occlusal surface is a surface where the teeth come into contact with each other, and includes the occlusal surface. The concave-convex shape 26 functions as a guiding portion that guides the lower jaw tooth to a predetermined appropriate position with respect to the upper jaw when the wearer brings the lower jaw tooth into contact with the molar covering portion 12. By providing the uneven shape 26 as the guiding portion, the lower jaw can be positioned at an appropriate position with respect to the upper jaw when the person wearing the mouthpiece 10 closes the mouth. Further, by making the uneven shape 26 of the guide portion into an indentation of the lower jaw, the teeth of the lower jaw can be uniformly brought into contact with the mouthpiece 10 and the wearing feeling can be improved.

When collecting the tooth profile from the impression material, the uneven shape 26 presses the molars that should come into contact with the lower surface of the first layer 22 at the time of proper meshing among the molars on the mandibular side, and indents the lower surface of the first layer 22. Formed by leaving. When the mouthpiece 10 is machined, the shape of the molars to be contacted and the appropriate position are calculated to form irregularities. The second layer 24 is arranged on the upper surface of the first layer 22. The second layer 24 has a shape corresponding to the meshing surface of the second molar, the first molar, the second premolar, and the first premolar of the upper jaw. The upper surface of the second layer 24 is in contact with the meshing surfaces of the second molars, the first molars, the second premolars and the first premolars of the upper jaw.

The thickness of the first layer 22 in the width direction differs depending on the height position. As can be seen from FIG. 7, the buccal thickness of the first layer 22 is thin in the upper 22U and thicker in the lower 22L. The upper 22U on the buccal side of the first layer 22 contacts the gums and occupies about 1/3 of the height of the first layer 22, and the lower 22L contacts the buccal side of the teeth and occupies about 2 of the height of the first layer 22. Occupy / 3. By thinning the upper portion 22U of the first layer 22, the pressure on the tactile gum portion can be reduced. By thickening the lower portion 22L of the first layer 22, the lower portion 22L is less likely to open in the width direction, and the relative positional relationship between the teeth and the mouthpiece 10 can be firmly maintained.

The rear end portion 28 of the molar tooth covering portion 12 has a narrow shape having a narrower width than the portion other than the rear end portion of the molar tooth covering portion 12. The posterior end 28 covers the second molar at the end of the dentition. The portion other than the rear end 28 of the molar covering 12 covers the first molar, the second premolar, and the first premolar. The rear end portion 28 has a plate-like shape extending parallel to the horizontal plane. The posterior end 28 contacts only the occlusal surface of the second molar and not the palatal and buccal sides of the second molar. That is, the palatal and buccal sides of the mouthpiece 10 are terminated between the first molar and the second molar. The rear end portion 28 may have a shape in which the width narrows toward the rear end, a shape in which the width widens toward the rear end, or a shape having a uniform width over the entire length in the top view. The posterior end 28 may extend to the posterior end surface of the second molar or may be terminated at the meshing surface of the second molar. By extending the posterior end 28 to the posterior end surface of the second molar, the mouthpiece 10 can be more firmly fixed to the upper jaw.

By making the rear end 28 contact only the meshing surface of the second molar, the mouthpiece 10 does not contact the buccal side surface and the palatal side surface of the second molar. When the mouthpiece 10 is applied to the mandibular side, the rear end 28 of the mouthpiece 10 does not come into contact with the buccal and lingual sides of the second molar. By eliminating the palatal side surface or the tongue side surface of the rear end portion 28, it is possible to prevent the wearer's abnormal strangulation reflex when the mouthpiece 10 is worn. By eliminating the buccal side surface of the rear end portion 28, it becomes difficult for the mouthpiece 10 to come into contact with the masseter muscle, and it is possible to prevent the wearer from giving a sense of discomfort when moving the mouth. Further, the rear end portion 28 has a narrow shape, and the rear end portion 28 is also provided with an uneven shape 26 corresponding to the meshing surface of the teeth on the lower jaw side, so that the relative position of the lower jaw and the upper jaw is maintained even at the rear end portion 28. can. This can reduce the vibration transmitted to the brain, for example, when the wearer receives some kind of impact on the chin. Further, by providing the narrow shape, the aesthetics and the custom-made feeling of the mouthpiece 10 can be improved. The rear end portion 28 preferably has a shape that becomes thinner toward the inner side (centrifugal side). With this configuration, the wearing feeling can be increased.

The central covering portion 14 extends in a U shape in a top view and covers the tooth between the two molar covering portions 12. Specifically, the central covering portion 14 covers the canines, lateral incisors, and central incisors between the left and right first premolars. The inside of the central covering portion 14 is formed with irregularities corresponding to the outer shapes of the canines, lateral incisors, and central incisors. The central covering portion 14 has a V-shape that contacts the labial and palatal sides of the canines, lateral incisors, and central incisors.

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line BB of FIG. 2, and FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view taken along the cross section CC of FIG. In FIG. 9, only the outer diameter of the mouthpiece is shown for clarification, and the uneven shape corresponding to the teeth inside the mouthpiece is omitted.

As shown in FIG. 8, the labial side surface 30 of the central covering portion 14 is formed as a substantially vertically steep surface, and the palatal side surface 32 is formed as an upper surface and an inclined surface toward the center of the tongue. The palatal side surface 32 of the central covering portion 14 has an inclined shape as a whole. The upper end of the palatal lateral 32 extends at least to the cervical region, which is the boundary between the crown and the root. Further, it is preferable that the upper end of the palatal lateral surface 32 has a shape along the cervical portion. As a result, it is possible to reduce the discomfort of the tongue when the tongue touches the upper end of the palatal lateral surface 32. It can be said that the palatal side surface 32 of the central covering portion 14 has a cut-off conical shape halved. By forming the palatal side surface 32 of the central covering portion 14 in an inclined shape, a tongue accommodating space for accommodating the tongue can be formed on the rear side of the central covering portion 14. The tongue accommodation space will be described later.

The central covering portion 14 is formed thick on the labial side and thin on the palate side. By thickening the labial side of the central covering portion 14, the rigidity of the central covering portion 14 can be ensured. Since the palate side of the central covering portion 14 does not contribute much to the rigidity, the palate side can be made thinner to reduce the discomfort of the tongue when worn and to reduce the weight of the entire mouthpiece.

As shown in FIG. 9, the tongue accommodating space 34 has a semicircular shape in a cross section cut horizontally at an intermediate position in the height direction of the mouthpiece 10. The left and right rear ends 36L and 36R of the tongue accommodation space 34 are defined by the front ends of the molar covering portion 12. The left and right rear ends 36L and 36R of the tongue accommodating space 34 are narrower than the other parts of the tongue accommodating space 34. When the wearer brings the tip of the tongue T into contact with the apex of the palatal lateral surface 32 of the central covering portion 14, the rear ends 36L and 36R forming the narrow portion press and support the tongue T from the left and right. That is, the rear ends 36L and 36R of the tongue accommodation space 34 function as tongue support portions that support the tongue in the tongue accommodation space 34 at an appropriate position in the tongue accommodation space 34. When the tip of the tongue T is brought into contact with the palatal side of the middle incisor, the tongue T comes out to the anterior side as a whole, and the airway is widened. In addition, when the tip of the tongue is brought into contact with the palatal side of the middle incisor, the position of the hyoid bone is raised and the stoop is improved. According to the mouthpiece 10, the position of the tongue T can be supported in the tongue accommodating space 34, so that the wearer can hold the tongue T in an appropriate position without being aware of it. Further, when the tongue T is outside the tongue accommodating space 34, the tongue T comes into contact with the narrow portions of the rear ends 36L and 36R of the tongue accommodating space 34, causing a sense of discomfort. Therefore, the tongue can be guided into the tongue accommodation space 34 by the narrow portions of the rear ends 36L and 36R of the tongue accommodation space 34. Further, by inclining the palatal lateral surface 32 forming the tongue accommodating space 34, the wearer's tongue can be encouraged to be curved along the palatal lateral surface 32. This causes the tongue to come into surface contact with the hard palate, further widening the airway. That is, by wearing the mouthpiece 10, the posture can be improved, the increase in heart rate due to mild oxygen deficiency can be suppressed, and the amount of oxygen uptake can be increased.

Returning to FIGS. 2 to 6, the upper end of the mouthpiece 10 has a wavy shape 38 as a whole. The wavy shape 38 is provided corresponding to the position of the wearer's teeth. The concave portion 40 (concave portion with respect to the upper side) of the wavy shape 38 corresponds to the position of the tooth root of the wearer, and the convex portion 42 (concave part with respect to the upward direction) of the wavy shape 38 is between the tooth roots. Corresponds to the position. That is, the upper end of the mouthpiece 10 is designed so as not to hinder the movement of the lips. That is, by providing the recess 40 at the position corresponding to the tooth root, the upper end of the mouthpiece 10 can be pushed forward by the tooth root so as not to hit the lips. Since the width and spacing of human teeth are irregular, the wavy shape should also have correspondingly irregular wavelengths and amplitudes.

Further, of the wavy shape 38, the concave portion 40 in the center in the width direction has a larger amplitude than the other concave portions. The central recess 40 is provided at a position corresponding to the wearer's upper lip zonule, and functions as a zonule accommodating portion 44 for accommodating the wearer's upper lip zonule. By providing the zonule accommodating portion 44, it is possible to more easily maintain the relative positional relationship between the mouthpiece 10 and the upper jaw.

FIG. 10 is a bottom view of the mouthpiece according to a modified example of the embodiment. As shown in FIG. 10, the mouthpiece 50 has only two physically separated molar coverings 52 and may not have a central covering. Even with such a modification, the relative positional relationship between the maxilla and the mandible can be properly maintained.

The above-described embodiment and modification are examples, and the plurality of features described in the embodiment can be applied to the mouthpiece alone. Therefore, by generalizing the embodiment, the following aspects can also be derived.

[Aspect 1]
It has a molar covering that covers the maxillary molars.
The molar covering portion includes a first layer having irregularities corresponding to the mandibular molars formed on one surface.
A mouthpiece provided on the other surface of the first layer and having a second layer that is in contact with the molars of the maxilla and is harder than the first layer.

[Aspect 2]
It has a molar covering that covers the mandibular molars.
The molar covering portion includes a first layer having irregularities corresponding to the maxillary molars formed on one surface.
A mouthpiece provided on the other surface of the first layer and having a second layer that is in contact with the molars of the mandible and is harder than the first layer.

[Aspect 3]
The mouthpiece according to aspect 1 or aspect 2, comprising the two molar coverings physically separated from each other.

[Aspect 4]
The mouthpiece according to any one of aspects 1 to 3, wherein the rear end portion of the molar tooth covering portion has a narrow shape having a narrower width than the portion other than the rear end portion.

[Aspect 5]
Two premolar coverings covering each of the left and right premolars,
It is provided with a central covering portion that connects the two molar covering portions and covers the teeth between the two molar covering portions.
The central covering portion is a mouthpiece including a tongue support portion that supports the tongue at a position where the tip of the tongue contacts the palate of the central covering portion.

[Aspect 6]
The mouthpiece according to aspect 6, wherein the upper ends of the buccal side and the labial side have a wavy shape corresponding to the shape of the wearer's gums.

The present invention has industrial applicability in the field of mouthpieces.

10 mouthpiece, 12 molar covering, 14 central covering, 22 first layer, 24 second layer, 28 rear end, 36L rear end, 38 wavy shape, 50 mouthpiece, 52 molar covering.

Claims

It has a molar covering that covers the molars on either the maxilla or the mandible.
The premolar covering portion includes a first layer having irregularities corresponding to the premolars on the other side of the maxilla or the mandible formed on one surface.
A mouthpiece provided on the other surface of the first layer, with a second layer that is in contact with the molars on one of the maxilla and mandible and is harder than the first layer.
The mouthpiece according to claim 1, wherein the second layer is formed with irregularities corresponding to the indentations of the molars on either the maxilla or the mandible.
The mouthpiece according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the first layer has a shore A hardness of 30 to 95.
The mouthpiece according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the second layer has a shore A hardness of 70 to 100.
The mouthpiece according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the rear end portion of the molar tooth covering portion has a narrow shape having a narrower width than a portion other than the rear end portion.
The posterior end of the molar covering extends posteriorly from the posterior end of the first molar and covers only the occlusal surface, not the lingual or palatal and buccal sides of the second molar. Item 5. The mouthpiece according to Item 5.
The mouthpiece according to claim 6, wherein the rear end of the molar covering portion extends to a position corresponding to the rearward of the rear end of the meshing surface of the tooth on the rearmost side of the dentition.
The mouthpiece according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the thickness of the molar covering portion is thinner on the upper side than on the lower side.
The two premolar coverings and
The mouthpiece according to claim 1, further comprising a central covering portion that connects the two molar covering portions and covers the teeth between the two molar covering portions.
The mouthpiece according to claim 9, wherein the central covering portion includes a tongue support portion that supports the tongue at a position where the tip of the tongue contacts the palate side of the central covering portion.
The mouthpiece according to claim 9 or 10, wherein the thickness of the central covering portion is thinner on the palate side than on the labial side.
The mouthpiece according to claim 1, wherein the upper ends of the buccal side and the labial side have a wavy shape corresponding to the shape of the wearer's gums.
The mouthpiece according to claim 12, wherein the wavy shape has irregular wavelengths and amplitudes.
The mouthpiece according to claim 12 or 13, comprising a zonule accommodating portion for accommodating the wearer's upper lip zonule.