60 results about "Sleep Bruxism" patented technology

An oral appliance for treating sleep apnea and bruxism is formed of a maxillary tray and a mandibular tray. The maxillary tray carries a maxillary bite pad projecting downwardly toward an opposed mandibular occlusal surface. The mandibular tray carries a mandibular bite pad projecting upwardly toward an opposed maxillary occlusal surface. The maxillary bite pad is posterior to the mandibular bite pad such that upon sufficient relative posterior movement of the mandibular tray, the maxillary bite pad engages the mandibular bite pad and limits posterior movement of the mandibular tray. At least one surface, chosen from the anterior face of the maxillary bite pad and the posterior face of the mandibular bite pad, defines a guide plane disposed at an upward and forward slant. The maxillary bite pad and the mandibular bite pad are engageable at the guide plane for advancing the mandibular tray along the guide plane upon vertical closure between the trays. A smooth pad is disposed over the occlusal surface of at least one of the trays, guarding the occlusal surface from engagement with the opposed bite pad.

A removable magnetic dental appliance is provided. The magnetic dental appliance can be used in the treatment of various conditions, including but not limited to, snoring, sleep apnea, some forms of temporomandibular joint pain or inflammation, myofascial pain or bruxism. The appliance comprises an upper arch attachment member and a lower arch attachment member, each for removably engaging at least a portion of the dentition. A magnetic component is positioned anteriorly on one of the upper arch attachment member or the lower arch attachment member and a magnet-attracted element is provided on the other arch attachment member for magnetic engagement with the magnetic component when the upper and lower arch attachment members are substantially vertically aligned. The appliance uses magnetic force to selectively position the mandible while still permitting movement of the mandible relative to the maxilla for improved comfort. A use of the magnetic dental appliance and a kit comprising the magnetic dental appliance are also provided

A new biofeedback modality for the treatment of bruxism. A mildly aversive, safe, liquid is inserted into, and sealed in, small, bilaterally-sleeved, polyethylene capsules. Two capsules are attached to a specially-constructed dental appliance which comfortably and securely places them between the lower and upper teeth. The appliance and capsules are worn at night or at other times when bruxism is suspected to occur. Whenever a sleeping or an awake patient attempts to brux, the capsules rupture and the liquid is released into the mouth. The liquid then draws the patient's conscious attention to, and forestalls, any attempt of teeth clenching or grinding. Variations of the method and device can be used to diagnose bruxism and to sustainably release medications and odor-masking substances into the mouth,.

A comfortable multiple layer mouth protector is provided for strength and ease of fit to minimize if not completely and gradually eliminate bruxism, with spring biasing keeping the maxillary and mandibular mouth protector arches in place and apart, eliminating snoring and permitting easy breathing. In addition, this Mouth protector protects oral structures from sports injuries.

A system and method for fabricating an interim dental guard device for preventing or reducing damage caused by bruxism to existing dentition and / or restorative dental work. The device is composed of a material that, when heated, is moldable around at least a portion of a patient's dental arch so as to form an impression of at least a portion of the dental arch, and that is solid at about normal body temperature so as to retain the impression once formed.

An intraoral mandibular advancement device to treat problems associated with sleep disorders in a user having an obstructed airway, the disorders including, without limitation, snoring, obstructive sleep apnea, gastroesophageal reflux disease and / or bruxism having a main body for attachment to the user's mouth and having a central portion; a protrusive element distending from the central portion of the main body such that when worn by the user the element causes mandibular advancement sufficient to expand the oropharangeal space and reduce the obstruction; and a retainer extending from the main body for retention of the device in the user's mouth when worn during the user's sleep state. The main body is either complimentary with the user's palate and lingual surfaces of the maxillary teeth, rests against the palate and lingual surface of the user's anterior mandibular teeth when the device is inserted in the user's mouth, or customized to rest against two, four or six of the user's front teeth. The protrusive element is of distension between 5 and 15 mm, and optimally 10 mm downwardly from the main body, and can be adjusted such that the advancement ranges between 1.0 and 7.0 mm, and having an initial treatment protrusion of 3.0 to 4.0 mm, or ½ of the total potential maximum protrusive range. A method for diagnosis and delivery of the device is also shown.

A pre-fabricated, pre-programmed or custom-made guidance package is provided. The Anterior Guidance Package (AGP) of the current invention is comprised of one maxillary guidance component and one mandibular guidance component. These components are attached to a maxillary retention piece and a mandibular retention piece, respectively when the mandible is in centric relation, to provide superior anterior guidance for the mandible. The AGP also provides immediate relief of centric occlusion / centric relation discrepancy (posterior interferences) when used as a night guard. In contrast to all other bruxism / TMJ splints, the components of the AGP according to current invention can provide a wide range of features for broad application, three dimensional patterning, steepness of inclination and many other considerations dependent upon the purpose being expressed. The primary purpose is to provide a superior anterior guidance equipped night guard for the amelioration of the damage and pain caused by bruxism.

An apparatus, in particular a dental splint, for the measurement of occlusal forces in case of a terminal occlusion of teeth comprises at least one sensor which is arranged outside of an occlusion region of the apparatus. A system for the diagnosis or treatment of bruxism serves to determine the position or the size of occlusal forces on the apparatus. A method allows exact localization and quantitative determination of occlusal forces on the apparatus.

The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for preventing, diagnosing, monitoring, and / or treating bruxism as well as related diseases of an individual. In a first aspect the invention relates to an apparatus for preventing bruxism of an individual, comprising: means for applying a plurality of stimulation signals for providing relaxation of at least one of the masticatory and / or facial muscles of said individual, means for applying said stimulations signals with a predefined setting, and means for applying said stimulations signals independent of activity of said muscle(s). The invention may be suitable for both nocturnal and awake bruxism.

The electromechanical bruxism monitoring and treating equipment consists of a measuring and recording part and a feedback treating part. The measuring and recording part has surface electrodes capable of recording the myoelectric action of abnormal masseter during sleep. When the myoelectric strength exceeds certain amplitude and the myoelectric signal period becomes greater than certain value, the controller has its counter started and the counting result including the average strength is shown in the display. Then, the feedback treating part generates stimulating electric pulse to regulate the myoelectric action so as to reach the aim of treating bruxism. The electromechanical bruxism monitoring and treating equipment can monitor the teeth grinding time and strength as treating reference and treating bruxism by means of weak electric stimulation.

A dental appliance for maintaining a separation between the occlusal plane surfaces of the posterior teeth in order to avoid or minimize the adverse effects of bruxism, especially while sleeping. The appliance comprises bitepad assemblies, side assemblies for adjustably receiving the bitepad assemblies, and a strap assembly for connecting the side assemblies. Bitepad cores are provided with solid projections and mechanical locks that enhance bonding with associated overmolds for improved durability. Side assembly flanges are divided to achieve independent flexibility and improved conformity for enhanced stability and comfort. A mesial area of the connecting strap assembly is thickened and rigidified to create a flare in the areas of the cuspid roots to minimize irritation and discomfort to the gum tissue.

A mandibular advancement device used in the management of snoring, obstructive sleep apnea, TMD and bruxism, comprises a maxillary tray for receiving / retaining maxillary teeth, a mandibular tray for receiving / retaining mandibular teeth, and at least two advancement members / prongs located on the mandibular tray at the anterior-lateral regions thereof. The advancement members / prongs, when in use, contact the outer surface of the maxillary tray in an anterior-lateral region thereof, thereby advancing / retaining the mandible and tongue in a protrusive position. Raised occlusal surfaces / bite pads in a region contiguous and posterior to the advancement prongs allow a passive tongue retaining gap or space to be formed in the anterior and posterior regions of the device. A lingual retaining strap may be provided between opposite posterior portions of the mandibular tray to passively retain the tongue in a protruded, non-obstructive position.

A dental appliance for maintaining a separation between the occlusal plane surfaces of the posterior teeth in order to avoid or minimize the adverse effects of bruxism, especially while sleeping. The appliance comprises bitepad assemblies, side assemblies for adjustably receiving the bitepad assemblies, and a strap assembly for connecting the side assemblies. Bitepad cores are provided with solid projections and mechanical locks that enhance bonding with associated overmolds for improved durability. Side assembly flanges are divided to achieve independent flexibility and improved conformity for enhanced stability and comfort. A mesial area of the connecting strap assembly is thickened and rigidified to create a flare in the areas of the cuspid roots to minimize irritation and discomfort to the gum tissue.

The invention relates to an apparatus for monitoring muscle activity related to bruxism, said apparatus comprising:—an electrode assembly for providing signals indicative of said muscle activity, means for processing said signals in order to detect said bruxism, and means for providing a feedback signal in response to detecting said bruxism; wherein said electrode assembly comprises three electrodes in a fixed spatial relationship one to another, each electrode having a contact area for electrical connection with the skin which is spaced from the contact area of each other electrode in the electrode assembly by at least 2 mm, the maximum distance from an edge of one electrode contact area to the furthest edge of the furthest away of the other electrode contact areas being not greater than 60 mm.

A dental appliance for preventing the grinding of teeth associated with bruxism and including a bite tray that includes opposing first and second posterior sections for positioning between upper and lower posterior teeth of the wearer and anterior section disposed between the first posterior section and the second posterior section. The anterior section of the bite tray can have an arcuate curvature and a bite surface adapted to reflect the prevalent shape of a glenoid fossa.

A dental appliance for treating bruxism is disclosed. The appliance may include upper and lower portions. The upper portion may comprise a first base and a first feature. The first base may engage the upper teeth of a patient. The first feature may secure to an anterior area of the first base and comprise a concave surface forming a concavity. The lower portion may comprise a second base and a second feature. The second base may engage the lower teeth of the patient. The second feature may secure to an anterior area of the second base and comprise a protrusion. As the patient bites down, the protrusion may contact the concave surface at a point of contact that is a sole or initial contact between the upper and lower portions. Thus, the interaction of the protrusion and concave surface may control certain mandibular loadings and motions of the patient.

An intraoral discluding appliance for the prevention of trauma and temporomandibular joint syndrome. The device is a small intraoral device that is custom made for each individual patient. The device includes two discluding elements over the cuspid areas known as cuspid pads. The device is inserted in the mouth and retained against the upper or lower anterior teeth. Typically, the device will be retained on the upper anterior teeth but occasionally mandible placement is necessary. As the mouth is closed, the discluding elements contact the opposing cuspids and prevent the posterior teeth from touching. This effectively reduces parafunctional temporal muscle activity, eliminates trauma, and prevents bruxism. The device is removable and may be worn full time, but is typically removed at least during meals and for cleaning. Additionally, the device may be worn only part time, for example it may be used as a bedtime appliance.

The dental splints are used for treating temporomandibular disorders, clenchers, bruxism and headaches resulting from improper alignment of the jaws. The dental splints include a maxillary splint and a mandibular splint. Both splints are formed from stents having a U-shaped trough filled with a dental acrylic and cured in situ on the patient's maxillary teeth and mandibular teeth, respectively. The apparatus includes a maxillary plane analyzer and a holding plate. The holding plate is a U-shaped plate having a central slot for receiving a stem of the plane analyzer and a plurality of recesses for receiving temporary cleats extending from the maxillary stent. The plane analyzer includes a handle, a U-shaped base mounted on the handle and including a pair of arms adapted for extending to either side of the mandible, a stem extending between the arms of the base, and a cruciform upright mounted on the handle.

A bruxism detection system is provided that includes a chin-mounted acceleration sensor for detection of teeth grinding and teeth tapping. The system generally includes an acceleration sensor that is adapted to be removably and externally mounted with respect to an individual's chin, a bruxism recording and processing system operable on a local processor, and bruxism analysis software that is operable on the local processor or an adjoint processor (or a combination thereof). The system is designed to be used in any convenient location, including an individual's home, and is generally reusable by multiple people, thus reducing the cost of bruxism diagnosis and bringing a reliable and effective diagnosis tool to the general public.

A special night guard, named as “AGP night guard”, comprising a “special retention piece and AGP (Anterior Guidance Package), is provided. The “AGP night guard comprises of; 1) one AGP and 2) two special retention pieces having an anteriorly protruded shelf to receive the maxillary guidance component of the AGP and / or mandibular guidance component of the AGP. For severe Class II malocclusion patient an AGP night guard uses: 1) one AGP, 2) one special retention piece of the current application to receive mandibular guidance component of the AGP and 3) one regular retention piece to apply maxillary guidance component of the AGP. For severe Class III malocclusion patient, the AGP night guard uses; 1) one AGP, 2) one special retention piece of the current application to receive maxillary guidance component of the AGP and 3) one regular retention piece to apply mandibular guidance component of the AGP.

Techniques and wearable appliances for monitoring bruxism, and / or for alleviating bruxism or sleep apnea related to bruxism are provided. In certain example embodiments, there is provided a custom teeth guard configured to be attached to at least some teeth in one of the upper or lower jaws, having at least two different non-zero amounts of padding arranged at positions located between teeth in the upper jaw and teeth in the lower jaw in accordance with predetermined strength of grinding of teeth at the positions. The custom teeth guard may be useful in helping to preempt apneic events and / or the like, e.g., by reducing the incidence and / or severity of teeth grinding.

Bruxism, which is a human medical condition characterized by clenching of the jaw and / or grinding of teeth, leads to conditions such as severe tooth wear and Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) Disorder. Described herein is a biofeedback device that utilizes the human physiological reflex to open the mouth when the nasal airway is obstructed. The device and method blocks the nasal airway while clenching, but allows nasal respiration while not clenching. Clenching of the jaw and breathing through the mouth cannot happen simultaneously while unconscious.

The invention provides a biofeedback apparatus for treating odontoprisis, which comprises an upper jaw biteplate (100), a sensing transmitting device (200) and a receiving controller (300), wherein the sensing transmitting device (200) is arranged in the upper jaw biteplate (100); and the sensing transmitting device (200) and the receiving controller (300) are connected. The biofeedback apparatus for treating odontoprisis is designed on the basis of two main factors, namely biting and nerves, directly monitors and acquires the signal of a pressure produced by an tooth grinding action, slightly wakes a patient by means of vibration and can be carried and used at home to provide objective and scientific data for the treatment and monitoring of the odontoprisis.

The invention discloses a device used for treating sleep apnea and consisting of a top denture and a bottom denture and an application method of the device. Each of the dentures is suitable for keeping the corresponding upper teeth and lower teeth; and the bottom denture is provided with two flanges upwardly extending from the roughly flat side of the denture at the bottom, and the other side of the denture is propped against teeth. Therefore, during wearing of the device, the flanges extend to the top denture. A corresponding flat area is arranged on each side of the top denture, and the flat areas can be cut in the planes on the outer sides (relative to teeth) of the dentures. The flanges are accordingly propped against the flat parts on the outer sides of the dentures to push the bottom denture and push the lower teeth and the tongue forwards. When a wearer wears the dentures in sleep, respiratory obstruction caused by the tongue in sleep is avoided.

Disclosed is a dental appliance composed of a thermo-plastic polymer with low compressibility, high toughness, and high tensile strength, with a low softening point. The appliance has perforations that enable it to be easily custom-fitted by the user or a health professional. The appliance begins as a generally U-shaped, unformed dental tray that is significantly thinner than existing dental appliances. Once fitted, the dental appliance provides superior protection against damage to the enamel of the teeth and abrasion of the teeth due to bruxism or other mechanism leading to biomechanical wear of dental surfaces. The perforations facilitate the custom-fitting process by allowing the user to suck air through the perforations, thus applying a negative pressure between the material and the teeth while the material is still soft and pliable. This enables a user or health professional to within minutes create a final product that rivals the quality and fit of an appliance made by dental laboratories using dentist made impressions.