Methods and systems for improving airway patency

An oral device for temporary placement in a patient's oral cavity, said device comprising:

• a base adapted to be held between the patient's upper and lower teeth;
• a tongue-engaging member coupled to the base and having a posterior structure that engages an engagement region of the tongue and an anterior structure that allows a tongue region anterior to the tongue-engaging member to rise relative to the engagement region of the tongue when the base is held between the teeth;
• and
• a vacuum conduit coupled to at least one of the base and the tongue-engaging member, the vacuum conduit configured to apply a vacuum to a region of the oral cavity between the patient's tongue and palate,
• wherein the tongue-engaging member is spaced inferiorly of the hard palate when the base is held between the patient's teeth, wherein a clear region is defined between the tongue-engaging member and the hard palate and extending to the patient's soft palate.

An oral device for temporary placement in a patient's oral cavity, said device comprising:

• a base adapted to be held between the patient's upper and lower teeth;
• a tongue-engaging member coupled to the base and having a posterior structure that engages an engagement region of the tongue and an anterior structure that allows a tongue region anterior to the tongue-engaging member to rise relative to the engagement region of the tongue when the base is held between the teeth;
• and
• a vacuum conduit coupled to at least one of the base and the tongue-engaging member, the vacuum conduit configured to apply a vacuum to a region of the oral cavity between the patient's tongue and palate, wherein the vacuum conduit is fluidly coupled to at least one vacuum port on a superior surface of the tongue-engaging member.