US 8,474,462 B2 · Tongue retaining oral appliance

Abstract

An oral appliance includes a frame for mounting to a user's teeth and a tongue contacting retaining member extending from the frame and configured in use to limit movement of the tongue toward the user's throat when the user is exercising or sleeping to maintain an open air passageway. The retaining member is positioned relative to the frame such that in use the retaining member contacts the tongue in a zone behind the second molars and in front of the pharyngeal reflex region of the tongue. The retaining member is further configured to lightly contact the tongue, and to apply a restraining force to the tongue as the tongue begins to move toward the user's throat during exercise or as the user falls asleep.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A device for receipt in a user's mouth, comprising:

a tongue engagement element having a front region, a rear region, and side regions that define an opening for receiving a user's tongue, the side regions extending back and outward from the front region to the rear region such that the rear region is wider than the front region,
the front region having an upper surface and the rear region having a lower surface, the rear region extending upward relative to the front region such that the lower surface is spaced from the upper surface to receive the user's tongue therebetween,
the element shaped such that when placed in a user's mouth, the rear region extends over the user's tongue, the front region extends under the user's tongue, and the element fits within the lingual surfaces.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Tongue retaining oral appliance

Life of this patent

Tongue retaining oral appliance

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20