System and method for customizing a dental device using an improved deformable material
OwnerW. Keith Thorntoninventor
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Abstract
A system for customizing a dental device (10, 11) includes an arch (12, 14) operable to receive one or more of a user's teeth (16) and a deformable material (20, 32) that includes an aliphatic polyester. A delivery device (40) contains the deformable material (20, 32) and delivers at least some of the deformable material (20, 32) to a selected region of the arch (12, 14) to customize the dental device (10, 11) for the user. The aliphatic polyester may be a polycaprolactone polymer having the formula: ##STR1## where R is an aliphatic hydrocarbon.
Claims12
A method for customizing a dental device using an improved deformable material and subsequently inserting the customized dental device into a user's mouth, the method comprising:
- inserting an arch into a user's mouth, the arch operable to receive at least one of the user's teeth, the arch comprising a first mold of the tooth that is separated from the tooth by a first offset;
- delivering the deformable material to a selected region of the arch while the arch is inserted in the user's mouth to customize the dental device for the user, the deformable material comprising an aliphatic polyester;
- forming a second mold of the tooth with the deformable material to customize the dental device, the second mold being separated from the tooth by a second offset that is smaller than the first offset;
- and
- inserting the customized dental device, including the arch and the deformable material, into the user's mouth to perform a function selected from the group consisting of:
- preventing injury;
- and
- treating a breathing disorder.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.