Granted Patent B2

US 12,702,780 · App. 18/902,151 · Granted Aug 11, 2026

Inventor: Dena P. Garner (Isle of Palms, SC)

Assignee: Dental Choice Holdings LLC

A61M16/0493A61M16/00A61F5/566A62B9/06

Abstract

Claims (33)

1 . A dental appliance, comprising:

a first body having a first occlusal pad and a first bite pad located at said first occlusal pad;

a first flange disposed on a lingual side of said first body;

a second body having a second occlusal pad and a second bite pad located at said second occlusal pad;

a second flange disposed on a lingual side of said second body, said second flange spaced apart from said first flange;

said first and second flanges being planar and configured for engagement by a user's tongue;

a connector extending between said first body and said second body, a portion of the connector at a lingual side of said connector defining an anterior flange;

wherein said user's tongue is prompted by contact with said anterior flange of said connector to move anteriorly and downwardly to dilate a pharyngeal airway.

2 . The dental appliance of claim 1 , at least a portion of said first occlusal pad disposed lower than said first bite pad.

3 . The dental appliance of claim 2 , said first flange formed integrally with said first occlusal pad.

4 . The dental appliance of claim 3 , said second occlusal pad in contact with said second bite pad, at least a portion of said second occlusal pad disposed lower than said second bite pad.

5 . The dental appliance of claim 4 , said second flange formed integrally with said second occlusal pad.

6 . The dental appliance of claim 1 , said connector extending between said first occlusal pad and said second occlusal pad.

7 . The dental appliance of claim 1 , said first and second flanges formed by a lower edge of said lingual sides of said first and second bodies, respectively.

8 . The dental appliance of claim 7 , said first and second flanges extending toward a mandable of said user when worn.

9 . The dental appliance of claim 8 , said first and second flanges extending in an anterior-posterior direction.

10 . The dental appliance of claim 9 , said first and second flanges positioned toward sides of said user's tongue.

11 . The dental appliance of claim 7 , said first and second flanges configured to contact the user's tongue.

12 . The dental appliance of claim 11 , said first and second flanges configured to engage the genioglossus and stimulate a hypoglossal nerve of the user's tongue.

13 . The dental appliance of claim 12 , said first and second flanges prompting the user's tongue to move anteriorly and downward.

14 . The dental appliance of claim 1 , said connector having an anterior-posterior dimension that is wider than ends of said connector.

15 . The dental appliance of claim 1 , said connector having a central elevation that is lower than elevation of said bite pads.

16 . A method for enhancing respiratory efficiency with a dental appliance comprising:

a. attaching removably the dental appliance to lower teeth within a mouth of a user, the dental appliance having a first occlusal pad, a second occlusal pad and a connector, a portion of the connector extending lingually from a posterior side of the teeth at a medial line in the mouth defining an anterior flange;

b. stimulating nerves of a tongue by touching the anterior flange of the connector with a tip of the tongue;

c. stimulating a nerve of the tongue by touching said tongue on a flange defined by a lower portion of said first occlusal pad or said second occlusal pad;

d. prompting by said stimulating forward contraction of the tongue positioning the tongue anteriorly and mandibularly downward; and,

e. dilating a pharyngeal airway.

17 . The method of claim 16 , said first occlusal pad and said second occlusal pad each further comprising said flange wherein each said flange is formed along a lower lingual edge of said first occlusal pad and said second occlusal pad.

18 . The method of claim 17 , further comprising engaging said flanges with both sides of said tongue of said user.

19 . The method of claim 18 further comprising causing positioning of the user's tongue anteriorly and mandibularly downward by said engaging said flanges with sides of said tongue.

20 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising providing a bite pad at each of said occlusal pads.

21 . The method of claim 20 , said bite pads and said occlusal pads being formed of different materials.

Assignments (2)

Continuity (5)

References Cited (206)