Magnetic anti-grinding dental device, system, and method

1. A dental appliance, comprising:

a first lower-tooth seat configured to accommodate at least one lower tooth and having a first lower magnet coupled thereto;

a second lower-tooth seat configured to accommodate at least one second lower tooth and having a second lower magnet coupled thereto;

a support structure coupling the first lower-tooth seat to the second lower-tooth seat;

a first upper-tooth seat configured to accommodate at least one upper tooth and having a first upper magnet coupled thereto, the first upper-tooth seat movably coupled by a first hinge to the first lower-tooth seat;

a second upper-tooth seat configured to accommodate at least one second upper tooth and having a second upper magnet coupled thereto, the second upper-tooth seat movably coupled by a second hinge to the second lower-tooth seat;

wherein a pole of the first lower magnet substantially faces a matching pole of the first upper magnet; and

wherein a pole of the second lower magnet substantially faces a matching pole of the second upper magnet.

2. The dental appliance of claim 1 , further comprising:

a first magnetic buffer configured to maintain a minimum spacing between the first upper-tooth seat and the first lower-tooth seat; and

a second magnetic buffer configured to maintain a minimum spacing between the second upper tooth-seat and the second lower-tooth seat.

3. The dental appliance of claim 1 , wherein the first upper and lower magnets include D83-N52 magnets; and

wherein the second upper and lower magnets include D83-N52 magnets.

4. The dental appliance of claim 1 , wherein the first upper and lower magnets include electromagnets; and

wherein the second upper and lower magnets include electromagnets.

5. The dental appliance of claim 1 , further comprising:

a force-sensing circuit configured to detect force between the first upper- and lower-tooth seats and the second upper- and lower-tooth seats.

6. The dental appliance of claim 5 , wherein the force-sensing circuit is configured for wireless communication for sending wireless signals representative of a force being sensed.

7. A method, comprising:

providing a dental appliance which resists teeth grinding by application of magnetic repulsion, wherein the dental appliance includes:

a first lower-tooth seat configured to accommodate at least one lower tooth and having a first lower magnet coupled thereto;

a second lower-tooth seat configured to accommodate at least one second lower tooth and having a second lower magnet coupled thereto;

a support structure coupling the first lower-tooth seat to the second lower-tooth seat;

a first upper-tooth seat configured to accommodate at least one upper tooth and having first-upper magnet coupled thereto, the first upper-tooth seat movably coupled by a first hinge to the first lower-tooth seat;

a second upper-tooth seat configured to accommodate at least one second upper tooth and having a second upper magnet coupled thereto, the second upper-tooth seat movably coupled by a second hinge to the second lower-tooth seat;

wherein a pole of the first lower magnet substantially faces a matching pole of the first upper magnet;

wherein a pole of the second lower magnet substantially faces a matching pole of the second upper magnet;

sensing a repulsive force between the respective upper and lower magnets; and

sending a signal representative of the repulsive force to a computing device.

8. The dental appliance of claim 1 , wherein the support structure is a retention band connecting the first and second lower-tooth seats each.

9. The dental appliance of claim 1 , wherein the first and second upper- and lower-tooth seats comprise a first and second holster wall configured to keep the dental appliance in place.

10. The dental appliance of claim 9 , wherein the first and second holster walls are substantially parallel.

11. The dental appliance of claim 9 , wherein the first and second holster walls are angled downward and inward such that both are configured to fit snugly over respective lower teeth.

12. The dental appliance of claim 9 , wherein the first and second holster walls are lined with a material to increase tooth grip.

13. The dental appliance of claim 1 , wherein the first and second upper-tooth seats have hook-and-latch safeguards configured to prevent jaw overextensions and corresponding heavy teeth-grinding.

14. The dental appliance of claim 2 , wherein the first and second magnetic buffers are a repulsive magnetic field.

15. The dental appliance of claim 14 , wherein the maximum spacing is 2 cm.

16. The dental appliance of claim 10 , wherein the electromagnets are configured to cause increasing repelling magnetic forces as bite surfaces of the dental appliance come closer together.

17. The dental appliance of claim 5 , wherein the force-sensing circuit includes a magnetic field sensor.

18. The dental appliance of claim 5 , wherein the force-sensing circuit includes a force-sensing resistor.

19. The dental appliance of claim 6 , wherein the wireless communication is configured to communicate with a mobile device.

20. The dental appliance of claim 6 , wherein the wireless communication is configured to transmit data regarding a frequency and intensity of teeth-grinding.