Intraoral appliance and method of manufacturing an intraoral appliance
An intraoral appliance is disclosed herein. In an example, an intraoral appliance includes a left cap, a right cap, and a body connected to the left cap and to the right cap. In the example, the left and right caps include a bite plate having an upper surface and a lower surface, an inner sidewall extending from the lower surface, and an outer sidewall extending from the lower surface, wherein the inner sidewall and the outer sidewall form teeth receiving channels, and the body includes a left cap casing, a right cap casing, and a front band between the left cap casing and the right cap casing.
1 . An intraoral appliance comprising:
a left cap;
a right cap; and
a body connected to the left cap and to the right cap;
the left cap including a bite plate having an upper surface and a lower surface, an inner sidewall extending from the lower surface, and an outer sidewall extending from the lower surface, wherein the inner sidewall and the outer sidewall form a left-side teeth receiving channel;
the right cap including a bite plate having an upper surface and a lower surface, an inner sidewall extending from the lower surface, and an outer sidewall extending from the lower surface, wherein the inner sidewall and the outer sidewall form a right-side teeth receiving channel;
the body including a left cap casing, a right cap casing, and a front band between the left cap casing and the right cap casing;
wherein the left cap is secured within the left cap casing with a front end of the bite plate nearer to the front band than a back end of the bite plate, and wherein the upper surface and the lower surface of the bite plate form a wedge that slopes downward from the front end of the bite plate to the back end of the bite plate;
wherein the right cap is secured within the right cap casing with a front end of the bite plate nearer to the front band than a back end of the bite plate, and wherein the upper surface and the lower surface of the bite plate form a wedge that slopes downward from the front end of the bite plate to the back end of the bite plate; and
wherein the left cap casing encases the left cap except that a portion of the upper surface of the bite plate is exposed for direct contact with upper teeth, and wherein the right cap casing encases the right cap except that a portion of the upper surface of the bite plate is exposed for direct contact with upper teeth.
2 . The intraoral appliance of claim 1 , wherein:
the outer sidewall of the left cap extends further from the lower surface of the bite plate than does the inner sidewall of the left cap; and
the outer sidewall of the right cap extends further from the lower surface of the bite plate than does the inner sidewall of the right cap.
3 . The intraoral appliance of claim 1 , wherein:
the inner sidewall and the outer sidewall of the left cap and the left cap casing form tooth-specific spaces configured to fit around at least two lower teeth; and
the inner sidewall and the outer sidewall of the right cap and the right cap casing form tooth-specific spaces configured to fit around at least two lower teeth.
4 . The intraoral appliance of claim 1 , wherein:
the left cap includes a stiffening structure at the intersection between the bite plate and the inner sidewall and a stiffening structure at the intersection between the bite plate and the outer sidewall; and
the right cap includes a stiffening structure at the intersection between the bite plate and the inner sidewall and a stiffening structure at the intersection between the bite plate and the outer sidewall.
5 . The intraoral appliance of claim 1 , wherein the slope of the wedges of the bite plates is configured to match an angle measured from a fulcrum of the mandibular joint, which results in a 7-10 mm space between front teeth.
6 . The intraoral appliance of claim 1 , wherein the body is formed from overmolded plastic material.
7 . The intraoral appliance of claim 1 , wherein the body is formed from overmolded thermoplastic material in which the front band can stretch to fit to an arc of a jaw bone.
8 . The intraoral appliance of claim 1 , wherein the left cap and the right cap are formed from a material with a Shore A grade hardness of 70-95.
9 . The intraoral appliance of claim 1 , wherein the front band of the body is configured to go around the outside of lower teeth.
10 . The intraoral appliance of claim 1 , wherein the front band of the body is configured to go around the outside of lower teeth between teeth and lips.
11 . The intraoral appliance of claim 1 , wherein the front band is rectangular in shape, thickness of 2-10 mm, to enable adaptation of the length of the front band.
12 . The intraoral appliance of claim 1 , wherein the bite plates of the left cap and the bite plate of the right cap are made a material having a Shore A grade hardness of 70-95 and the body is made of a thermoplastic.
13 . The intraoral appliance of claim 1 , wherein the body is overmolded over the left cap and the right cap.