Removable Airway Appliance
OwnerNathan Milo Tannerinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Disclosed is a removable airway appliance for guiding and developing the lower and upper jaws forward. The removable airway appliance may include an anterior acrylic section having a specified amount of the palate/roof of the mouth and lingual side/inside of top front teeth to direct the forces of development, a posterior acrylic section providing retention over the primary/baby molars, expansion screws set at different angles for up/down and side/side growth and development, and clasps for retention in case if permanent teeth are present. On the horizontal axis the screws can be positioned flat at a small angle or at a steeper angle to help direct the direction of growth and development of the upper and lower jawbones, while the side-to-side directs the amount of increased width of the arch.
Claims20
A removable orthodontic airway appliance configured to guide development of a patient's maxillary and mandibular structures, comprising:
- a U-shaped appliance body sized to be removably positioned within an upper dental arch of a patient;
- an anterior acrylic section configured to contact at least a portion of a palate and a lingual surface of one or more anterior teeth;
- a posterior acrylic section configured to extend over posterior teeth of the upper dental arch;
- at least two expansion screws embedded within the appliance body and extending between portions of the appliance body on opposite sides of the dental arch;
- wherein the expansion screws are positioned at predetermined angular orientations relative to a horizontal plane of the dental arch so as to direct orthodontic development of the maxilla in a forward direction and optionally in a vertical and/or lateral direction;
- and
- wherein the anterior acrylic section and the posterior acrylic section cooperate to transmit forces generated by the expansion screws to promote forward development of the maxillary structure and increased airway space.
An orthodontic development system, comprising:
- a removable airway appliance configured to be positioned in an upper dental arch of a patient;
- the appliance including:
- an anterior acrylic section configured to contact a palate and lingual surfaces of anterior teeth;
- a posterior acrylic section covering occlusal surfaces of posterior teeth;
- two expansion screws embedded within the appliance and extending between opposite sides of the appliance;
- wherein the expansion screws are adjustable and positioned at selected vertical and lateral angles to control a direction of maxillary development including forward sagittal development, lateral arch expansion, and vertical positional adjustment of anterior teeth;
- and whereby the appliance promotes forward development of the maxilla and enlargement of an airway space.
A method for guiding development of a maxilla and airway of a patient, comprising:
- positioning a removable orthodontic airway appliance within an upper dental arch of a patient, the appliance including an anterior acrylic section, a posterior acrylic section, and at least two expansion screws;
- orienting the expansion screws at selected vertical and lateral angles;
- periodically activating the expansion screws to apply orthodontic forces to the palate and teeth;
- and
- directing maxillary development in a forward direction while optionally increasing arch width and modifying vertical tooth position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.