Intraoral dental irrigation appliance
View Patent ↗An intraoral dental irrigation appliance is provided. The device can serve as a dual-purpose occlusal guard and irrigation device. The appliance can protect the teeth of the user from the damage caused by bruxism and even provide the user the ability to effectively irrigate some or all difficult areas of dentition. The appliance includes at least one port configured to receive an irrigation fluid, or irrigant. This port may attach to a fluid source like a tap, water irrigation device, or other moving fluid supply.
1. A dental irrigation appliance, comprising:
a first member arranged to conform to a portion of a subject dentition;
a chamber disposed within the first member and configured to receive and convey a fluid from a supply, wherein the chamber follows a curved path defined by the subject dentition, and wherein the chamber includes a plurality of bends formed in a sinusoidal pattern along the curved path;
a plurality of channels disposed within the first member, each channel having a first end fluidly-connected to the chamber and an outlet end, wherein the plurality of channels are configured to direct fluid from the first end to the outlet end; and
a port fluidly-connected to the chamber and configured to receive the fluid.
2. The dental irrigation appliance of claim 1 , wherein the port includes an inlet disposed at an outer surface of the first member, the inlet having an opening diameter tapering to a smaller inner diameter adjacent to the chamber.
3. The dental irrigation appliance of claim 1 , wherein the curved path is substantially U-shaped.
4. The dental irrigation appliance of claim 1 , wherein the outlet end of each channel in the plurality of channels includes a nozzle shape configured to focus fluid expelled from the plurality of channels.
5. The dental irrigation appliance of claim 1 , wherein the port includes an inlet having a feature configured to selectively interconnect with a fluid supply tool.
6. The dental irrigation appliance of claim 5 , wherein the fluid supply tool is a tip of a water flosser.
7. The dental irrigation appliance of claim 1 , wherein the first member is at least one of ethyl methacrylate, methylmethacrylate, vinyl, polyvinyl, thermoplastic, and plastic.
8. A dental irrigation appliance kit, comprising:
at least one solid fluid channel substrate having a first gauge and length;
a solid fluid chamber substrate having a second gauge and length, wherein the solid fluid chamber substrate is a portion of wax material, and wherein the solid fluid chamber substrate includes a plurality of bends preformed in a sinusoidal pattern along an entirety of the length of the solid fluid chamber substrate; and
a solid port material.
9. The dental irrigation appliance kit of claim 8 , wherein the at least one solid fluid channel substrate is a reel of wax material.
10. The dental irrigation appliance kit of claim 8 , wherein the first gauge and length is less than the second gauge and length.
11. A dental irrigation appliance prepared by a process, comprising:
providing an irrigation system, comprising:
arranging a plurality of channel members at treatment sites of a dentition model;
attaching a chamber member to each of the plurality of channel members, wherein the chamber member follows a curved path defined by the dentition model, and wherein the chamber member includes a plurality of bends formed in a sinusoidal pattern along the curved path; and
attaching a port member to the chamber member;
providing a mold material covering at least a portion of the irrigation system;
curing the mold material; and
removing the irrigation system from the mold material via melting the irrigation system from the mold material leaving a void in the mold material having a shape of the irrigation system.
12. The dental irrigation appliance of claim 11 , wherein the arranging the plurality of channel members includes affixing an end of each channel member to the dentition model.
13. The dental irrigation appliance of claim 11 , wherein the mold material is made from a monomer.
14. The dental irrigation appliance of claim 11 , wherein the mold material is at least one of ethyl methacrylate, methylmethacrylate, vinyl, polyvinyl, thermoplastic, and plastic.
15. The dental irrigation appliance of claim 11 , wherein curing the mold material includes subjecting the mold material to heat.
16. The dental irrigation appliance of claim 11 , wherein the mold material is a cold cure material.
17. The dental irrigation appliance of claim 11 , wherein removing the irrigation system includes boiling the dental irrigation appliance at a melting temperature of the irrigation system.