Intra-oral device
An intra-oral device comprising an upper jaw applicator and a lower jaw applicator, a longitudinal adjustment mechanism for adjusting a relative longitudinal position of the upper jaw applicator to the lower jaw applicator, and a transverse adjustment mechanism for adjusting a distance between lateral sides of the upper and lower jaw applicators.
1. An intra-oral device comprising:
an upper jaw applicator and a lower jaw applicator,
a longitudinal adjustment mechanism for adjusting a relative longitudinal position of the upper jaw applicator to the lower jaw applicator, and
a transverse adjustment mechanism for adjusting a distance between lateral sides of the upper and lower jaw applicators, wherein the longitudinal adjustment mechanism comprises a linear ratchet mechanism on a longitudinal plane of the intra-oral device, the linear ratchet mechanism comprising: a rack of teeth, the teeth being spaced along a longitudinal edge of the rack of teeth, and a dowel having a dowel member arranged to inter-engage with the teeth of the rack of teeth.
2. The intra-oral device of claim 1 , wherein the transverse adjustment mechanism is arranged to adjust the distance between the lateral sides of the upper and lower jaw applicators simultaneously.
3. The intra-oral device of claim 1 , wherein the upper jaw applicator comprises an upper left component and an upper right component, and the lower jaw applicator comprises a lower left component and a lower right component, the transverse adjustment mechanism being arranged to adjust the distance between one or both of:
(a) the upper left component and the upper right component, and
(b) the lower left component and the lower right component.
4. The intra-oral device of claim 3 , wherein the transverse adjustment mechanism is arranged to simultaneously adjust the distance between:
(a) the upper left component and the upper right component, and
(b) the lower left component and the lower right component.
5. The intra-oral device of claim 3 , wherein the transverse adjustment mechanism comprises:
a threaded rod having two end portions, one end portion of the threaded rod being engageable with a thread on the upper left component and a thread on the lower left component of the intra-oral device, and the other end portion of the threaded rod engageable with a thread on the upper right component and a thread on the lower right component of the intra-oral device; and
an adjustment member for effecting rotation of the threaded rod about a longitudinal axis of the threaded rod.
6. The intra-oral device of claim 5 , wherein the adjustment member comprises at least one opening positioned about midway along the threaded rod, the at least one opening being engageable with a tool for effecting the rotation of the threaded rod.
7. The intra-oral device of claim 1 , wherein the transverse adjustment mechanism comprises:
a threaded rod having two end portions, one end portion of the threaded rod being engageable with a thread on a left component of the intra-oral device, and the other end portion of the threaded rod engageable with a thread on a right component of the intra-oral device; and
an adjustment member for effecting rotation of the threaded rod about a longitudinal axis of the threaded rod.
8. The intra-oral device of claim 7 , wherein the adjustment member comprises at least one opening defined about midway along the threaded rod, the at least one opening being engageable with a tool for effecting the rotation of the threaded rod.
9. The intra-oral device of claim 1 , wherein the rack of teeth is associated with the upper face of the lower jaw applicator, and the dowel is associated with the upper jaw applicator.
10. The intra-oral device of claim 1 , wherein the longitudinal adjustment mechanism further comprises a locking mechanism for maintaining the dowel in engagement with the teeth, the locking mechanism comprising a biasing member for providing a resilient bias to the dowel towards a base of the teeth along a longitudinal edge of the rack.
11. The intra-oral device of claim 10 , further comprising a guide, associated with the upper jaw applicator and the lower jaw applicator, for guiding a longitudinal movement of the upper jaw applicator relative to the lower jaw applicator, the guide comprising a at least one guide rail which can be slidingly received in an associated at least one guide slot.
12. The intra-oral device of claim 11 , wherein the at least one guide rail is provided protruding from, and extending along at least a portion of, an upper face of the lower jaw applicator, and the associated the at least one guide slot is defined in a lower face of the upper jaw applicator.
13. The intra-oral device of claim 12 , wherein the guide rail has a base portion and a top portion, the top portion being wider than the base portion.
14. The intra-oral device of claim 10 , and including a silicon-based coating.
15. The intra-oral device of claim 10 , wherein each of the upper jaw applicator and the lower jaw applicator comprises a base and walls defining a channel for receiving at least some teeth of a user in use.
16. The intra-oral device of claim 1 , wherein the longitudinal adjustment mechanism comprises:
a left longitudinal adjustment mechanism acting between an upper left component of the upper jaw applicator and a lower left component of the lower jaw applicator; and a right longitudinal adjustment mechanism acting between an upper right component of the upper jaw applicator and a lower right component of the lower jaw applicator.