US 2015/0173935 A1 · ORAL ORTHOSES AND ASSOCIATED DEVICES, SYSTEMS, AND METHODS

Abstract

Orthoses, screening kits, and associated devices, systems, and methods are disclosed herein. An orthosis (100) configured in accordance with a particular embodiment includes a left spacer (102) configured to be clenched between left lateral posterior teeth, a right spacer (104) configured to be clenched between right lateral posterior teeth, and a connector (106) extending therebetween. The connector is flexible to accommodate differences in relative positioning of left and right lateral posterior teeth in different patients. The orthosis, when operably positioned within an oral cavity of a patient, is configured to cause asymmetrical spacing between upper and lower posterior teeth relative to a sagittal plane. A screening kit configured in accordance with a particular embodiment includes sets of orthoses individually configured to cause different levels of asymmetrical or at least generally symmetrical spacing between upper and lower posterior teeth relative to the sagittal plane.

Claims33

Dependent claims

An orthosis, comprising:

a left spacer configured to be clenched between upper and lower left lateral posterior teeth of a patient so as to cause a left spacing between the upper left lateral posterior teeth and the lower left lateral posterior teeth when the orthosis is operably positioned within an oral cavity of the patient;
a right spacer configured to be clenched between upper and lower right lateral posterior teeth of the patient so as to cause a right spacing between the upper right lateral posterior teeth and the lower right lateral posterior teeth when the orthosis is operably positioned within the oral cavity, the right spacing being different than the left spacing;
and
a connector extending between the left and right spacers, the connector configured to accommodate anatomical differences in relative positioning of left and right lateral posterior teeth in different patients.

1 more element

A method, comprising:

operably positioning a first screening orthosis within an oral cavity of a patient diagnosed with a disorder to cause an asymmetrical spacing between upper and lower posterior teeth of the patient relative to a sagittal plane, the first screening orthosis being at least partially flexible to accommodate different dental anatomies;
operably positioning a second screening orthosis within the oral cavity to cause an asymmetrical spacing between the upper and lower posterior teeth relative to the sagittal plane, the asymmetrical spacing caused by the first screening orthosis being different than the asymmetrical spacing caused by the second screening orthosis, the second screening orthosis being at least partially flexible to accommodate different dental anatomies;
and
selecting a configuration of a prolonged-use orthosis for the patient based at least in part on an effectiveness of one or both of the first and second screening orthoses at reducing a symptom of the disorder, the prolonged-use orthosis being more customized for a dental anatomy of the patient than are the first and second screening orthoses.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Oral orthoses and associated devices, systems, and methods

Life of this patent

Oral orthoses and associated devices, systems, and methods

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims33