Abstract: A device is disclosed that can be adapted to fit the dentitions of a user to prevent snoring. The device has a flexible, U-shaped upper member and a flexible, U-shaped lower member each of which have releasable fastening means affixed to them enabling a user to easily and readily adjust the two members relative to one another so as to keep the user's airway passage open and thereby prevent snoring. A moldable material is provided in each of the members so that a user can make an impression of the user's upper and lower dentitions which are then contained permanently in the moldable material which material remains flexible on setting. This assures a snug and comfortable fit for the user when the upper and lower members are inserted into the user's mouth.

Abstract: A dentally retained intra-oral appliance worn at night for treatment of snoring and obstructive sleep apnea. The appliance maintains the patient's mandible in an anterior, protruded position to prevent obstruction of the pharyngeal airway. The appliance allows a limited degree of lateral movement of the mandible relative to the upper jaw in the protruded position to prevent aggravation of the patient's tempromandibular joint and associated muscles and ligaments. The appliance preferably consists of an upper bite block conforming to the patient's maxillary dentition, a lower bite block conforming to the patient's mandibular dentition, and a connecting assembly secured to an anterior region of the upper and lower bite blocks for adjustably coupling the upper and lower bite blocks together.

Abstract: A mandible extension dental device (10) is provided which includes adjustable upper and lower arch trays (12, 14) and coupling means (16) designed to pull the lower jaw of a user forwardly during sleep, so as to minimize snoring and mild apnea conditions. Each of the arch trays (12, 14) includes a substantially rigid synthetic body (18, 38) equipped with a pair of generally L-shaped, continuous adjustment slots (32, 34 and 46, 48). Thermoplastic molding material (36, 60) within each tray (12, 14) permits custom fitting of the trays (12, 14) to the upper and lower arches of a patient. During such fitting, the tray bodies (18, 38) are adjusted as necessary owing to the provision of the slots (32, 34 and 46, 48) to accommodate the arch configurations of the patient. Once the material (36, 60) hardens, the patient-specific arch configurations are permanently retained. The device (10) can be rapidly fitted in the field without the need for the services of a dentist.

Abstract: A single dental appliance that both alleviates snoring and protects teeth from bruxism. The appliance (10) has an upper section (12) which is mounted on the upper jaw. Opposing the upper section (12) is a lower section (14) which is mounted on the lower jaw. Both the upper and lower section have an anterior region (16, 18) and two posterior regions (20, 22; 24, 26). A hard outer shell (32, 34) secures in a soft inner liner (28, 30) which conforms with the teeth and cushions the jaw against impact forces. The hard outer shell (32, 34) serves to protect the teeth against grinding. The combination of the liner and the shell distribute forces associated with grinding.

Abstract: An anti-snoring device including a moldable dental overlay for covering the lower teeth of the user and for maintaining the tongue in contact with the palate to prevent air flow from causing the palate to reverberate during mouth breathing; an extension member fixedly connected to the front of said dental overlay; a moldable oral shield worn outside the mouth and being conformable to the user's upper lip for preventing the lower jaw from drifting inferiorly and posteriorly during sleep; and a connecting member being slidably connected to the oral shield, and having an opening for slidably receiving said extension member. The anti-snoring device may be made of thermoplastic or elastomeric resin materials for moldability to the user's mouth.

Abstract: An apparatus for opening nasal passages of a human head is disclosed, with the human head having a nose, a first cheek and a second cheek, and with the nose having a bridge portion, a first nasal wall and a second nasal wall. The apparatus includes a metallic biasing member having a length sufficient to span a distance from the first nasal wall to the second nasal wall across the bridge portion. The apparatus further includes a non-woven base, secured to the biasing member, having a length sufficient to span a distance from the first cheek to the second cheek across the nose. Additionally, the apparatus includes an adhesive material disposed on the baising member and the base for attaching the baising member and the base to the human head. Moreover, the apparatus includes a strippable liner positioned in contact with the adhesive material. A method of opening nasal passages of a human head is also disclosed.

Abstract: A mandibular advancement, or positioning, device for short-term or one-time use is described. The appliance has an upper tray and a lower tray holding impression material, into which the patient bites. The impression material, and optional adhesive, serve as a way to secure the trays to the patient's upper and lower teeth, and, therefore, to the patient's maxilla and mandible. Preferably, the front portions of the trays are bendable or flexible, for allowing the use of just a few sizes of trays for all patients. A connector is attached to a rear area of the lower tray and adjustably connects to the upper tray at or near the center of the upper tray front area, so that the connector easily may be manually pulled forward and temporarily locked in place to advance the mandible. The device may also include spacers or bite planes for opening the patient's bite.

Abstract: A new Jaw-Closing Anti-Snoring System for controlling a user's snoring by supporting the user's jaw in a closed position while sleeping. The inventive device includes a strap having a first end and a second end, a securing means at the first and second end allowing the first end to removably secure to the second end, and an arcuate jaw support member formed to the shape of a jaw secured to the concentric portion of the strap and supporting the jaw of the user.

Abstract: Disclosed is an external nasal splint which is adapted so that it may be placed across the bridge of the human nose, where it facilitates breathing without irritating the skin across the bridge of the nose. The splint contains a planar sheet of flexible material which has in its length-wise direction a central portion and two opposing end portions. The planar sheet is joined to an adhesive layer which also has in its length-wise direction a central portion and two opposing end portions. The central portion and the two opposing end portions of the planar sheet have an upper surface which is not adhesive to human skin. The two opposing end portions of the adhesive layer have a lower surface which is adhesive to human skin, so that the two opposing end portions are capable of affixing the external nasal splint to the human nose for a typical period of use, for instance six to twenty-four hours; and the central portion has a lower surface which is not adhesive to human skin.

Abstract: The device includes in combination a rigid ellipsoidal support base having a concave interior surface and a convex exterior surface and an adhesive material for attaching to human epidermis layered on a predominance of the entire convex interior surface. The device is particularly useful to prevent snoring in a sleeping human by providing support to the maxillofacial muscles of a user's face to provide a small air passage between the maxillofacial muscles of the face and the jaws which allows for the intake and output of air such that the sleeping individual does not have to intake and output air through the nose.

Abstract: An anti-snoring device including a denture member for covering the lower teeth of the user and for maintaining the tongue in contact with the palate to prevent air flow from causing the palate to reverberate during mouth breathing; an extension member fixedly connected to the front of the denture member; and a flexible oral shield having an opening for slidably receiving the extension member and having at least one breathing hole. The flexible oral shield is worn outside the mouth and is conformable to the user's lips for preventing the lower jaw from drifting inferiorly and posteriorly during sleep.

Abstract: An improved snore-preventing device having a mouthpiece insertable into a user's mouth and having an upwardly-facing trough member and a downwardly-facing trough member secured together by a plurality of spacer members in a manner to ensure proper positioning of the user's jaws and having a quantity of thermo-setting resin contained in each of said troughs to fit said mouthpiece to an individual user.

Abstract: A one piece dental appliance custom molded to a particular patient's denton for resolution of sleep apnea. The invention features a transpalatal strap extending from one side of the appliance to the opposite side joining the opposing lingual surfaces. The transpalatal strap continuously and uninterruptedly extends between and joins the right and left dental retentive portions of the appliance from one side of the maxillary arch to the opposite side of that arch. The appliance is fabricated from dental acrylic by the dentist in the office and requires a posterior access articulator to adapt acrylic lingually between the maxillary and mandibular casts.

Abstract: A head strap assembly for reducing snoring activity includes a front strap for extending around a head spaced forwardly of ears and below a chin of a user, a rear strap for extending around the head and rearwardly of the ears and above the chin of the user with the rear strap crossing the front strap between the ears and chin of the user, and a link strap interconnecting the front and rear straps above the ears of the user. The front strap preferably has an upper portion and a lower portion with pairs of adjacent ends for positioning on each side of the head of the user. The assembly may also include an adjustable fastening elements which are attached to the pair of adjacent ends of the upper and lower portions of the front strap for providing overlapping releasable coupling of the adjacent ends of the upper and lower portions of the front strap to one another. The assembly may also include an upper chin pad, a lower chin pad and a head pad.

Abstract: A nasal dilator that prevents the outer wall tissue of the nasal passages of the nose from drawing in during breathing comprises a truss member. The truss member includes a flexible strip of material having a first end region, a second end region and an intermediate segment. The first and second end regions are adapted to engage the outer wall tissue of first and second nasal passages of the nose. The intermediate segment is configured to traverse a portion of a nose located between the first and second nasal passages, and a pad can be provided to prevent adhesion of the intermediate segment to the nose. The truss member further includes first and second resilient bands secured to the strip of material adjacent opposite edges of the intermediate segment. The resiliency of the first and second resilient bands acts to stabilize the outer wall tissue and thereby prevents the outer wall tissue of the first and second nasal passages from drawing in during breathing.

Abstract: A kit to promote effective breathing through nasal passages when a user is sleeping includes a chin support member and a nasal passage dilator. The chin support member is made of a flexible sheet or the like having an adhesive back that is designed to be applied to a user's face. The chin support member has a chin support portion that fits on a user's face underneath a user's mouth, and a first and second cheek attachment portion which adhere to the user's face above the user's mouth. The chin support member is configured so that the chin support portion supports the user's lower lip upward against the user's upper lip to keep the user's mouth naturally closed while the user is sleeping. However, the chin support member does not significantly cover the upper lip, and does not significantly restrict movement of the upper lip. A user is therefore able to cough or otherwise expel air or phlegm through the mouth while sleeping.

Abstract: A nasal dilator that prevents the outer wall tissue of the nasal passages of the nose from drawing in during breathing comprises a truss member. The truss member includes a flexible strip of base material having a first end region, a second end region and an intermediate segment. The first and second end regions are adapted to engage the outer wall tissue of first and second nasal passages of the nose. The intermediate segment is configured to traverse a portion of a nose located between the first and second nasal passages. The truss member further includes first and second resilient bands secured to the strip of material adjacent opposite edges of the intermediate segment. The resiliency of the first and second resilient bands acts to stabilize the outer wall tissue and thereby prevents the outer wall tissue of the first and second nasal passages from drawing in during breathing. The truss member further includes an attachment void region located between the resilient bands and the strip of base material.

Abstract: A nasal dilator that prevents the outer wall tissue of the nasal passages of the nose from drawing in during breathing comprises a truss member. The truss member includes a flexible strip of material having a first end region, a second end region and an intermediate segment. The first and second end regions are adapted to engage the outer wall tissue of first and second nasal passages of the nose. The intermediate segment is configured to traverse a portion of a nose located between the first and second nasal passages. The truss member further includes first and second resilient bands secured to the strip of material adjacent opposite edges of the intermediate segment. The resiliency of the first and second resilient bands acts to stabilize the outer wall tissue and thereby prevents the outer wall tissue of the first and second nasal passages from drawing in during breathing.

Abstract: A dental device is provided in which an upper arch (12) and a lower arch (14) are inserted in a user's mouth. A deformable material (20) is included with upper arch (12) and lower arch (14) so as to allow a user to form his or her own teeth molding. A post (16) extends from the upper arch (12) and contacts the lower arch (14) so as to extend the user's lower jaw forward, thereby reducing snoring.

Abstract: A headcover and chin cup assembly which maintains a closed mouth during the treatment of sleep apnea and makes the user breathe only through his or her nose. The assembly is made up of a headcover which fits easily and securely on the head of practically all people. The headcover and the chin cup each include a set of straps and a set of D-rings. The set of straps attached to the headcover engage the set of D-rings attached to the chin cup. The set of straps attached to the chin cup engage the set of D-rings attached to the headcover. Each set of straps is adjusted secured via fasteners. The chin cup holds the apex of the user's chin for a secure fit.

Abstract: The lip-closing, anti-snoring device provides an adjustable, flexible U-shaped device wherein the arcuate shaped base rests on the user's clavical portion of the collar bone and the flexible inverted J-shaped sides are adjusted to lightly embrace and lift the flesh about the chin to maintain the lips in a closed position.

Abstract: A dental orthosis is provided for use in the treatment of snoring. The upper portion of the device defines a trough for receiving some of the upper teeth of the patient. The rear wall of the trough is truncated so that the device can accommodate both narrow and wide dental arches so that one size of the device can accommodate substantially all users. Once inserted into the mouth the device snugly engages the upper teeth, particularly the front teeth, and remains positioned independent of natural motions of the lower jaw. The lower portion of the device is formed into a ramp structure whereby natural jaw motions result in the engagement of the lower teeth with the ramp, which will cam the lower jaw into a more forward position.