Granted Patent B2

US 12,642,632 · App. 18/679,097 · Granted Jun 2, 2026

Inventors: Thien Nguyen (Santa Ana, CA); Tam Thanh Pham (San Francisco, CA)

Assignee: Solmetex, LLC

A61C17/0208A61C17/08

Abstract

Claims (33)

1 . A mouthpiece for use with a suction system to remove fluids from a mouth of a patient during a dental procedure, comprising:

a suction connector portion for connection to the suction system;

a main body having a first end and a second end that is narrower than the first end, the first end being adjacent to the suction connector portion, the main body comprising:

a first wall that extends from the first end to the second end, the first wall including a plurality of first edges,

a second wall that extends from the first end to the second end, the second wall including a plurality of second edges, wherein the second wall includes an interior surface that faces an interior space between the first wall and the second wall, and wherein a plurality of crests of a wave-like structure is formed on the interior surface of the second wall with a trough between adjacent ones of the plurality of crests, the plurality of crests providing a plurality of contact points with the first wall such that the plurality of troughs form a plurality of gaps through which the fluids can pass as the fluids move toward the suction connector portion of the mouthpiece, wherein the plurality of contact points are unattached to the first wall; and

a third wall that connects one of the first edges of the first wall to one of the second edges of the second wall; and

a cheek retractor portion extending from the second end and connected to the first wall and the second wall of the main body.

2 . The mouthpiece of claim 1 , wherein the suction connector portion includes an evacuation conduit, the evacuation conduit being in communication with the interior space between the first wall and the second wall.

3 . The mouthpiece of claim 2 , wherein the suction connector portion includes a mouth prop.

4 . The mouthpiece of claim 3 , wherein the mouth prop includes a first side and a second side that are inwardly tapered from a top surface of the mouth prop towards a bottom surface of the mouth prop, the first side and the second side each including a plurality of ridges.

5 . The mouthpiece of claim 4 , wherein the suction connector portion further includes a cutout configured to interlock with a corresponding protrusion associated with the suction system, the cutout having a generally triangular shape or a shield shape.

6 . The mouthpiece of claim 1 , further comprising a stability bar corresponding to a thickened area of the main body, the stability bar extending along a longitudinal axis of the main body between the first wall and the second wall, wherein a thickness of the stability bar reinforces at least a portion of the main body.

7 . The mouthpiece of claim 1 , wherein the second wall includes a first plurality of perforations that are distributed along one of the second edges, and a second plurality of perforations that are distributed along an opposing one of the second edges.

8 . The mouthpiece of claim 7 , wherein the main body includes a transition region that transitions into the cheek retractor portion, the cheek retractor portion being wider than the transition region.

9 . The mouthpiece of claim 8 , wherein the transition region is rectangular in shape.

10 . The mouthpiece of claim 8 , wherein at least one of the first plurality of perforations and at least one of the second plurality of perforations is located on the transition region near the cheek retractor portion.

11 . The mouthpiece of claim 10 , wherein five of the first plurality of perforations and five of the second plurality of perforations are located on the main body outside of the transition region.

12 . The mouthpiece of claim 11 , further including a stability bar corresponding to a thickened area of the main body, the stability bar extending along a longitudinal axis of the main body.

13 . The mouthpiece of claim 12 , wherein the stability bar extends from the second wall toward the first wall.

14 . The mouthpiece of claim 12 , wherein the stability bar does not contact the first wall.

15 . The mouthpiece of claim 1 , wherein the first wall and the second wall of the main body transition into the cheek retractor portion, the first wall and the second wall being spaced apart from each other for a distance within the cheek retractor portion before being connected to each other in the cheek retractor portion.

16 . A mouthpiece for use with a suction system to remove fluids from a mouth of a patient during a dental procedure, comprising:

a suction connector portion for connection to the suction system, the suction connector portion includes an evacuation conduit, the suction connector portion further including a mouth prop with a first side and a second side, the first side and the second side each including a plurality of ridges;

a main body having a first end and a second end that is narrower than the first end, the first end being adjacent to the suction connector portion, the main body comprising:

a first wall that extends from the first end to the second end, the first wall including a plurality of first edges,

a second wall that extends from the first end to the second end, the second wall including a plurality of second edges, the second wall including a first plurality of perforations that are distributed along one of the plurality of second edges, the second wall includes an interior surface that faces an interior space between the first wall and the second wall, the interior surface including a wave-like structure having a plurality of crests and a plurality of troughs, the plurality of crests providing a plurality of contact points with the first wall, the plurality of troughs forming a plurality of gaps through which the fluids may flow, and

a third wall that connects one of the first edges of the first wall to one of the second edges of the second wall; and

a cheek retractor portion extending from the second end of the main body and connected to the first wall and the second wall of the main body;

wherein the fluids from the patient flow into the plurality of perforations and through the plurality of gaps within the interior space between the first and second walls before entering the evacuation conduit of the suction connector portion.

17 . The mouthpiece of claim 16 , further including a stability bar corresponding to a thickened area of the main body, the stability bar extending along a longitudinal axis of the main body between the first wall and the second wall.

18 . The mouthpiece of claim 17 , wherein the stability bar extends from the second wall toward the first wall, and wherein the stability bar does not contact the second wall.

19 . The mouthpiece of claim 16 wherein the suction connector portion includes a mouth prop, the mouth prop includes a first side and a second side that are inwardly tapered from a top surface of the mouth prop towards a bottom surface of the mouth prop, the first side and the second side each including a plurality of ridges.

20 . The mouthpiece of claim 16 , wherein the suction connector portion further includes a cutout configured to interlock with a corresponding protrusion associated with the suction system, the cutout having a generally triangular shape or a shield shape.

Assignments (4)

Continuity (5)

References Cited (400)