Kit, tools, and method for treatment of facial injuries and disorders
AssigneeBoard of Regents, The University of Texas System
InventorsLori Arguello, Kathleen Kerr
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention includes an intraoral tool, including one or more selected solid or inflatable inserts targeted to provide a low load prolonged stretch to orofacial musculature that may be coupled to tool handle or tool mounting bracket, wherein the intraoral tool is configured for a delivery of intraoral treatment, such as a stretch to a patient's facial injury or disorder and configured to permit manipulation of the insert in the patient's mouth.
Claims19
An intraoral tool for prolonged stretch of a skin and musculature, comprising:
- one or more inserts comprising at least one flat surface to ensure stability within a mouth of a patient used for a delivery of a prolonged stretch of the skin, the musculature, or both, to treat a patient's facial injury or disorder, wherein a treatment with the one or more inserts is prolonged stretch of the skin, the musculature, or both, wherein the one or more inserts provide for multiple planes of stretch;
- and
- a tool handle or a tool mounting bracket coupled to the one or more inserts, wherein the tool handle is used to manipulate the one or more inserts in a patient's mouth, wherein the inserts are selected from at least one of:
- a disk, a partial disk, a cylinder, an L shape, a rectangle, a triangle, a trapezoid, a polygon, a rhomboid, a polyhedron, an oval, or a crescent that is convex or concave, and the one or more inserts are solid, inflatable, or pliable.
A method of intraoral treatment of a patient, comprising:
- providing an intraoral tool comprising one or more inserts having at least one shape connected to a tool handle or a tool mounting bracket, wherein the one or more inserts are selected to provide an intraoral treatment of a facial injury or disorder, wherein the intraoral tool is configured to permit manipulation of the one or more inserts in a patient's mouth;
- and
- delivering one or more treatments to the patient to treat the facial injury or disorder, wherein the treatment is a prolonged stretch of a skin and musculature, wherein
- at least one of the shapes of the one or more inserts is capable of holding the intraoral tool in a substantially stationary position with the one or more inserts or tool mounting bracket in the patient's mouth;
- at least one of the shapes of the one or more inserts has the shape or cross-section of a disk, a partial disk, a cylinder, an L shape, U shape, a rectangle, a triangle, a trapezoid, a polygon, a rhomboid, a polyhedron, an oval, or a crescent;
- a surface of the one or more inserts, the tool handle or the tool mounting bracket is substantially flat, convex, concave, or has teeth, indentations, or ridges;
- the one or more inserts, the tool handle, or the tool mounting bracket has a substantially flat back surface, a convex front surface, ridges, teeth, indentations, or a zip lever and an opening for locking the tool handle into the one or more inserts, the one or more inserts comprises one or more pliable materials, or the one or more pliable materials include silicone or plastic;
- the one or more inserts are inflatable;
- or
- the tool handle is at least one of:
- integrally coupled to the one or more inserts, non-detachably coupled to the one or more inserts, or detachably coupled to the one or more inserts.
A kit with one or more intraoral tools comprising:
- one or more inserts;
- and
- one or more tool mounting brackets configured for a delivery of intraoral treatment of a patient's facial injury or disorder,
- wherein the one or more tool mounting brackets [to] form an intraoral tool configured to permit movement of one of the one or more inserts in a patient's mouth to treat an injury or disorder that affects at least one of a cheek, a nasolabial fold, a lip, a mentolabial junction, or a modiolus, wherein the intraoral tool provides for a prolonged stretch of a skin, a musculature, or both.
A method of intraoral treatment of a patient, comprising:
- providing an intraoral tool comprising one or more inserts connected to a tool handle or a tool mounting bracket, wherein the one or more inserts are selected to provide an intraoral treatment of a facial injury or disorder, wherein the intraoral tool is configured to permit manipulation of the one or more inserts in a patient's mouth;
- and
- delivering one or more treatments to the patient to treat the facial injury or disorder, wherein the intraoral tool provides for a prolonged stretch of a skin, a musculature, or both;
- further comprising a bending tool used to bend the tool handle into a plurality of shapes, adjusting a length of the tool handle, wherein the bending tool has a plurality of teeth for ratcheting into the tool mounting bracket, or trimming an excess of the tool handle once the length has been adjusted, and
- wherein-a shape of the one or more inserts is capable of holding the intraoral tool in a substantially stationary position with the one or more inserts or tool mounting bracket in the patient's mouth;
- or
- the shape of the one or more inserts or tool mounting brackets has the shape or cross-section of a disk, a partial disk, a cylinder, an L shape, U shape, a rectangle, a triangle, a trapezoid, a polygon, a rhomboid, a polyhedron, an oval, a crescent;
- of the one or more inserts or tool mounting brackets has the shape or cross-section of a disk, a partial disk, a cylinder, an L shape, U shape, a rectangle, a triangle, a trapezoid, a polygon, a rhomboid, a polyhedron, an oval, a crescent;
- a surface of the one or more inserts, the tool handle or the tool mounting bracket is substantially flat, convex, concave, or has teeth, indentations, or ridges;
- the one or more inserts, the tool handle, or the tool mounting bracket has a substantially flat back surface, a convex front surface, ridges, teeth, indentations, or a zip lever and an opening for locking the tool handle into the one or more inserts, the one or more inserts comprises one or more pliable materials, or the one or more pliable materials include silicone or plastic;
- the one or more inserts are inflatable;
- or
- the tool handle is at least one of:
- integrally coupled to the one or more inserts, non-detachably coupled to the one or more inserts, or detachably coupled to the one or more inserts.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.