Method and apparatus for protecting teeth, preventing the effects of bruxism and protecting oral structures from sports injuries

A method for protecting teeth from sports injury and the effects of bruxism, comprising:

• providing a multi-layer mouth protector including opposed maxillary and mandibular arches, each of the arches having a tough outer layer and a soft deformable but tear resistant inner layer, the inner layer having prefabricated teeth imprints to fit and surround the teeth when the mouth guard is in place and a spring biasing assembly positioned between said arches to provide space between said arches, said spring biasing assembly including spring members having a light spring tension such that the use of said mouth protector is not only comfortable but one in which the use of the spring biasing assembly is virtually undetectable, said spring biasing assembly including spring members having ends and wherein said arches have end receiving slots therein for receiving respective ends of said spring members such as to provide said spring biasing assembly with a lost motion function, thereby to permit only limited protrusion/retrusion of said arches relative one to the other, whereby bruxism is reduced due to the limited relative movement of said arches;
• and,
• using the mouth guard to protect an individual's teeth, whereby the mouth guard is both strong and abrasion resistant while at the same time being both comfortable and self adapted to fit the mouth of the individual due to the deformable inner layers of the arches.

A wearable, comfortable mouth protector for use with pediatric patients to correct bruxism, comprising:

• a mouth protector having a pair of opposed arches adapted to be positioned adjacent the maxillary and mandibular features of the patient's mouth in which the arches contain a deformable, soft, compliant material adapted to surround the teeth of the patient, said soft, compliant material having prefabricated teeth imprints to provide comfort and cushion for the teeth upon receiving inner or outer force impacts, and to deform with a memory to provide a teeth imprint after use such that the arches comfortably fit the patient from one use to the next, a spring biasing assembly positioned between said arches to provide space between said arches, said spring biasing assembly including spring members having a light spring tension such that the use of said mouth protector is not only comfortable but one in which the use of the spring biasing assembly is virtually undetectable, said spring biasing assembly including spring members having ends and said arches having end receiving slots therein for receiving respective ends of said spring members such as to provide said spring biasing assembly with a lost motion function, thereby to permit only limited protrusion/retrusion of said arches relative one to the other, whereby bruxism is reduced due to the limited relative movement of said arches and whereby pediatric use is encouraged due to the comfort and non-obtrusiveness of the mouth protector.