ORAL DEVICES, KITS AND METHODS FOR REDUCING SLEEP APNEA, SNORING, AND/OR NASAL DRAINAGE

摘要

Apparatus for reducing obstructive sleep apnea, snoring and/or nasal drainage. One apparatus includes an upper member fitting the interior and exterior surfaces of a user's upper dentition, and a lower member fitting similarly adjacent a user's lower dentition. The lower member includes molar extensions projecting away from the lower member. The upper member includes upper molar extensions projecting away from the upper member and toward the lower molar extensions so that when the user bites or clenches, the upper right and lower right extensions impinge on one another in substantially overlapping fashion, as do the molar upper left and lower left extensions. The upper and lower members have an anterior shape to form a gap sufficient for the user's tongue to extend into the gap, and each molar extension may include a magnet. Methods of using the apparatus and kits to reduce sleep apnea, snoring, and/or nasal drainage.

主权项

1. An apparatus consisting of:
an upper generally arched-shaped member that is configured to fit adjacent at least a portion of interior and exterior surfaces of a user's upper dentition, the upper generally arched-shaped member consisting of a moldable polymeric material; a lower generally arched-shaped member consisting of the same moldable polymeric material that is configured to fit adjacent at least a portion of interior and exterior surfaces of the user's lower dentition; the lower generally arch-shaped member comprising a posterior lower right molar extension and a posterior lower left molar extension each consisting of the same moldable polymeric material, the posterior lower right and the posterior lower left molar extensions formed integrally with and projecting generally perpendicularly away from the lower generally arch-shaped member and generally toward the upper generally arch-shaped member; the upper generally arch-shaped member comprising a posterior upper right molar extension and a posterior upper left molar extension consisting of the same moldable polymeric material, the posterior upper right and posterior upper left molar extensions formed integrally with and projecting generally perpendicularly away from the upper generally arch-shaped member and generally toward the lower generally arch-shaped member; so that when the user bites or clenches, the posterior upper right molar extension impinges on the posterior lower right molar extension, and the posterior upper left molar extension impinges on the posterior lower left molar extension; the upper and lower generally arch-shaped members having an anterior shape to form a gap sufficient for at least a portion of the user's tongue to extend forward into the gap without being impeded in forward movement by the apparatus; the posterior lower right molar extension, posterior lower left molar extension, posterior upper right molar extension, and posterior upper left molar extension configured such that, when the apparatus is in the user's mouth, the molar extensions create a tendency to keep the user's airway open by maintaining the gap.