727 results about "Upper teeth" patented technology

A mouthpiece assembly for use in detecting impact forces on the neck and head of a user is disclosed. The mouthpiece assembly includes sensors which determine linear and rotational impact forces on the user. The mouthpiece assembly includes a mouth guard having a channel sized to receive the upper teeth therein. A raised dome portion extends from the mouth guard and is adapted to be positioned adjacent the roof of the mouth. The sensors are located in the raised dome portion and the mouth guard or in other locations of the mouthpiece if mouthpiece sensors are required. An indicator is provided to provide a visual and / or audible indication when the magnitude of an impact exceeds a threshold value.

The invention is a removal plastic oral appliance which includes sensors for detecting the position of a patients tongue and mandible. Pressure sensors in the appliance itself detect tongue contact and pressure against the palate or the lower teeth against the upper teeth. The sensors are connected electronically to an electronic processor which interprets the information against one or more contra-indicated tongue or jaw positions or activities, and selects an appropriate response from a pre-selected range of responses. The electronic processor sends a signal to a stimulus electrode to cause the patient to stop the contra indicated tongue position, jaw position, or activity.

A dental appliance having increased or decreased thickness between an upper shell and a lower shell in combination with a hinging mechanism and a system and a method for treating malocclusions are provided. The dental appliance may have an upper shell and a lower shell which receive upper teeth and lower teeth, respectively, of a user. The upper shell and the lower shell may be attached at a hinge. The dental appliance may have an increased thickness between the upper shell and the lower shell as well as an increased thickness of the hinge. In an embodiment, the dental appliance may have a decreased vertical thickness and an insertable hinging mechanism. The dental appliance may then extend treatment of malocclusions to the rear teeth of the user and may correct a dental condition, such as, for example, overbite, overjet, open bite, crowding, rotations, spacing, cross-bites, gummy smiles and temporomandibular joint problems.

A performance enhancing and force absorbing mouthguard adapted to fit the upper teeth of the mouth of an athlete wherein the mouthguard is of a composite material. The first internal layer is a nonsoftenable flexible framework which will permit the mouthguard to hold its shape during fitting as well as to absorb and dissipate significant impact conveyed to the upper teeth. The framework includes hard, durable bite plate wedges which lower the condyle from the temporomandibular joint in a fulcrum action to place the lower jaw in an optimum condition preventing impingement upon the nerves and arteries as well as spacing the upper and lower teeth apart. Elastomeric traction pads are on the bottom of the mouthguard and are grippingly engaged by the posterior teeth of the lower jaw. The elastomeric pads extend forwardly to form an anterior impact brace on the front of the mouthguard. While the framework and traction pads are mechanically interlocked, a softenable material is placed over the mouthguard excepting the contact portions of the traction pads and anterior impact brace to encapsulate the mouthguard and to permit custom fitting.

The invention is a removable plastic oral appliance which includes sensors for detecting the position of a patient's tongue and mandible. Pressure sensors in the appliance itself detect tongue contact and pressure against the palate or the lower teeth against the upper teeth. The sensors are connected electronically to an electronic processor which interprets the information against one or more contra-indicated tongue or jaw positions or activities, and selects an appropriate response from a pre-selected range of responses. The electronic processor sends a signal to a stimulus electrode to cause the patient to stop the contraindicated tongue position, jaw position, or activity.

In one embodiment, a device for improving a user's breathing includes an upper arch adapted to receive at least some of the user's upper teeth and a lower arch adapted to receive at least some of the user's lower teeth. A hook having a substantially rounded end is coupled to the upper arch. The lower arch includes a substantially rounded recess adapted to receive and position the substantially rounded end of the hook to pull the lower arch forward to facilitate improved breathing.

An oral appliance assembly is described. The assembly includes an oral appliance component having an upper teeth tray and a lower teeth tray. The assembly further includes a module releasably connected to the oral appliance. The module includes at least one sensor that is positioned outside of the mouth and underneath the nares of a subject's nose when the oral appliance component is positioned in the subject's mouth. A method of measuring user compliance of an oral appliance is also described. The method includes positioning an oral appliance in the mouth of a subject, measuring at least one parameter of airflow from the subject's nose or mouth, and determining compliance based on the at least one measured parameter. A method of measuring effectiveness of an oral appliance is also described. The method includes positioning an oral appliance in the mouth of a subject, measuring at least one parameter of airflow from the subject's nose or mouth, and determining effectiveness based on the at least one measured parameter.

A mouthguard for use by athletes, including a dual tray assembly molded together. The first tray is molded from a hard plastic such as an ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer, and has a portion that engage the cusps of the lower jaw molars to prevent the tray from moving backward on impact. A second tray is molded on to the first tray using a soft plastic or gel like material, such as a high percentage vinyl acetate copolymers of ethylene vinyl acetate, that softens at slightly elevated temperatures that a user can easily tolerate. The first time the mouthguard is used, it is heated in warm water, then the user puts it in his or her mouth and bites down to cause the second tray to conform to the upper teeth. When in use, the ridges on the first tray engage the teeth of the lower jaw to prevent movement of the lower jaw on impact.

An expandable implant device (100) for insertion between two vertebrae (400) is disclosed. The device (100) has an upper body (20), a lower body (40) and an external retainer band (60). The external retainer band (60) holds the upper body (20) and lower body (40) and has an inner surface having a plurality or set of upper ratchet teeth (80U) sloped for allowing upward movement and a plurality or set of lower ratchet teeth (80L) for allowing downward movement. The ratchet teeth (80) of the upper body (20) are mated or fitted to the upper teeth (80) of the retainer band (60) and the ratchet teeth (82) of the lower body (40) are mated or fitted to the lower ratchet teeth (82) of the retainer band (60). The height of the device (100) is increased by upward movement of the upper body (20) and downward movement of the lower body (40).

The oral retractor is provided for retracting at least a portion of a patient's mouth. The oral retractor is formed from single, continuous closed-loop strand of stainless steel wire. The oral retractor includes a superior lip-engaging portion for retracting the patient's upper lip away from the upper teeth and gums, and an inferior lip-engaging portion for retracting the patient's lower lip away from the patient's lower teeth and gums. Bilateral arcuate cheek-engaging portions extend posteriorly from the lip-engaging portions for retracting the patient's cheeks away from the teeth and gums. The lip-engaging portions are formed from linear portions defining tented arches that extend anteriorly, and the superior lip-engaging portion may be canted upward, while the inferior lip-engaging portion may be canted downward. The cheek-engaging portions may be substantially parabolic. The retractor may be substantially symmetrical about planes bisecting the retractor vertically and horizontally.

A device, method, and system are provided for aiding the whitening of teeth. The device includes a mouthpiece suitable for implementing a dental treatment, wherein the mouthpiece includes one or more stock dental cover layers suitable for forming a treatment cavity having a vacuum, wherein the dental cover layers includes a layer over the upper teeth and / or a layer over the lower teeth; and one or more treatment supply layers wherein the treatment supply layer has one or more flow channel in fluid communication with the treatment cavity so that the treatment supply layer can deliver and / or remove one or more treatment fluids from the treatment cavity.

Disclosed herein is a continuously operable seat-reclining device having an improved actuator to substantially carry out a reclining operation of the reclining device such that an actuating force of a shaft is uniformly transmitted to the entirety of a coupling. The continuously operable seat-reclining device basically comprises an upper teeth bracket and a lower teeth bracket securely fixed to a seat back frame and a cushion frame, respectively, the upper teeth bracket being provided with upper teeth, the lower teeth bracket being provided with lower teeth, the upper teeth of the upper teeth bracket being engaged with the lower teeth of the lower teeth bracket, a cam hole formed at the center of the lower teeth bracket, and an actuator disposed between the cam hole and the cam-maintaining ring for moving the upper teeth bracket relative to the lower teeth bracket.

A dental appliance having increased or decreased thickness between an upper shell and a lower shell in combination with a hinging mechanism and a system and a method for treating malocclusions are provided. The dental appliance may have an upper shell and a lower shell which receive upper teeth and lower teeth, respectively, of a user. The upper shell and the lower shell may be attached at a hinge. The dental appliance may have an increased thickness between the upper shell and the lower shell as well as an increased thickness of the hinge. In an embodiment, the dental appliance may have a decreased vertical thickness and an insertable hinging mechanism. The dental appliance may then extend treatment of malocclusions to the rear teeth of the user and may correct a dental condition, such as, for example, overbite, overjet, open bite, crowding, rotations, spacing, cross-bites, gummy smiles and temporomandibular joint problems.

A one-piece molded bruxism treatment device which in upright orientation has top and bottom parts, including:a. an elongated band having top and bottom edges and having a generally U-shape defining a closed front end part and legs extending rearward along a front-to-rear direction, and adapted to be positioned around the outer surfaces of a person's upper gums and teeth, the front end and legs having top and bottom edges, each of the legs terminating as a foot having a bottom edge below the bottom edges of the front end and legs,b. the front end top edge having a downward extending recess adapted to provide clearance for a person's frenulum when the device is positioned in the person's mouth with the band between the person's upper lip and upper teeth, andc. two generally planar bite pads oriented generally horizontally, each extending from one of the feet of the band medially toward the other, each of the bite pads having top and bottom surfaces and adapted to be positioned on one side of the person's jaw between the facing surfaces of a person's upper and lower teeth, andd. each the bite pads being, at least in part, resiliently deformable, thus adapted to absorb forces when the bite pad is clenched between the person's upper and lower teeth.

The invention relates to a bionic examination robot for physical properties of food and an examination method thereof. The bionic examination robot comprises a control device and a bionic oral cavity, wherein the bionic oral cavity is composed of a palate and a chin, upper teeth of the palate is matched with lower teeth of the chin; the top part of the palate is fixed to the upper part of a frame, the bottom part of the chin is fixed to a movable platform, the movably platform is connected with a pedestal of the frame via a plurality of ball pairs-movable pairs-ball pair mechanisms; a plurality of sensors are arranged at different positions inside the oral cavity; and the control device controls the movement of the moveable pairs, and receives data from the sensors and stores and processes the data. The bionic examination robot can evaluate the physical properties of food scientifically, accurately and objectively, and the examination method can take the place of traditional food evaluation methods in which identification of a texture analyzer and sensuous identification are combined, thereby not only reducing examination cost and enhancing examination efficiency, but also enhancing examination accuracy, thus a scientific theoretical basis is provided for the processing and the development of food.

A performance enhancing and force absorbing mouthguard adapted to fit the upper teeth of the mouth of an athlete wherein the mouthguard is unobstructably tethered and of a composite material. The first internal layer is a nonsoftenable flexible framework which will permit the mouthguard to hold its shape during fitting as well as to absorb and dissipate significant impact conveyed to the upper teeth. A hard, durable bite plate wedge lowers the condyle from the temporomandibular joint in a fulcrum action to place the lower jaw in an optimum condition preventing impingement upon the nerves and arteries as well as spacing the upper and lower teeth apart. Elastomeric traction pads are on the bottom of the mouthguard and are grippingly engaged by the posterior teeth of the lower jaw. While the framework, wedge and traction pads are mechanically interlocked, a softenable material is placed over the mouthguard excepting the contact portions of the traction pads to encapsulate the mouthguard and to permit custom fitting. An anterior tab supports a transverse external bumper having left and right ports to unobstructively tether the mouthguard.

A computational process for determining the appropriate bite alignment of an individual. The system and processes use digital models of the upper teeth, lower teeth and bite impression of an individual. Those models are fitted together in an appropriate bite alignment. The relative movement of the models are tracked mathematically. An optimization function is then used to determine the best fit between the models.

A dental oral appliance for use with patients who suffer with sleep disorders, to reduce or eliminate snoring and to open the airway for a sleeping individual who suffers with obstructive sleep apnea. The appliance covers the inside (lingual) of the upper teeth and has an open palate. Retention for the appliance is provided by either clasps placed over the upper right and left molars and a retainer in the anterior area or by an occlusal coverge of the upper teeth. A raised incisor ramp that extends from the incisal tip (biting edge) of the incisors toward the lingual, or posterior raised ramps, separate the posterior teeth to reduce spasm on the temporalis muscle. A transverse, transpalatal ramp, which extends from the inside (lingual) of the upper right molars to the inside of the upper left molars, covers the tongue and holds it down, opening the airway.

The invention discloses a tooth-groove-type connection structure of an upper-layer inner wallboard of an assembly-type shear wall and a lower-layer inner wallboard of the assembly-type shear wall. Each inner wallboard comprises two contact locating structures of the upper-layer inner wallboard which are respectively arranged at two ends of each wallboard and a post-pouring concrete structure. The post-pouring concrete structure is located between the two contact locating structures. Upper grooves are formed in the bottom surface of the upper-layer inner wallboard, upper tooth-shaped grooves are formed in the bottoms of the upper grooves, and vertically-distributed rebars of the upper-layer inner wallboard stretch out from the upper grooves. Lower grooves are formed in the top surface of the lower-layer inner wallboard, lower tooth-shaped grooves are formed in the bottoms of the lower grooves, and vertically-distributed rebars of the lower-layer inner wallboard stretch out from the lower grooves. When the upper-layer inner wallboard is connected with the lower-layer inner wallboard, notches of the upper grooves are connected with notches of the lower grooves in a butt joint mode, forming grooves of the post-pouring concrete structure are formed, and the vertically-distributed rebars of the lower-layer inner wallboard and the vertically-distributed rebars of the upper-layer inner wallboard are correspondingly connected in a lap joint mode. The tooth-groove-type connection structure of the upper-layer inner wallboard of the assembly-type shear wall and the lower-layer inner wallboard of the assembly-type shear wall is easy and convenient to construct and reliable in structure.

Disclosed herein is a pair of dry type patches for teeth whitening, having a patch for upper teeth and a patch for lower teeth, in which the patch for upper teeth has a shape different from the patch for lower teeth, and each patch has a controlled width and shape such that the contact area of each patch with gums is minimized. In the patch for upper teeth, a central portion covering right and left upper central incisors is widest. In the patch for lower teeth, either portion covering right and left lower canine teeth is widest. Since the dry type patches covers all the portions of the teeth while minimizing the contact area with gums, no or little irritation is caused and wearability is excellent.

An adjustable mandibular advancement device has an upper plate for covering upper teeth of a human and a lower plate for covering lower teeth of the human. A magnetic closure mechanism is provided in the device in order to hold the upper plate in contact with the lower plate when the device is positioned in a person's mouth. The magnetic closure mechanism includes one or more magnets in the upper plate and one or more magnets in the lower plate. The magnets are positioned so that when the upper plate and lower plate are in contact, the lower plate pulls the person's lower teeth and lower jaw forward and down in order to reduce obstruction of an airway during sleep or physical activity such as sport. An adjustment mechanism between the plates allows the position of the lower plate relative to the upper plate to be adjusted.

In one embodiment, a device for improving a user's breathing includes an upper arch adapted to receive at least some of the user's upper teeth and a lower arch adapted to receive at least some of the user's lower teeth. A hook having an end is coupled to the upper arch. The lower arch includes a recess adapted to receive and position the end of the hook to pull the lower arch forward to facilitate improved breathing.

A method and system for training a patient to improve swallowing, for retraining jaw muscles and for holding or keeping the jaw in a correct bite position. All of this in-turn causing an improvement in posture. The system includes a combination of exercise and oral apparatus pieces or mouth-guards to retrain and balance the facial muscles and to develop a correct swallow. The mouth-guards of the present invention can improve biomechanical imbalance, posture and in turn athletic performance. A particular embodiment of an oral apparatus of the present invention includes top and bottom troughs for receiving top and bottom teeth into the apparatus. The troughs can be adapted to hold the upper canine teeth lower than the central and lateral incisor teeth and hold the upper teeth outside the lower teeth from the incisors to the molars. The apparatus can be pre-fabricated or custom made for a particular patient. Using heat moldable thermoplastics, some embodiments of the device can be formed in the patient's mouth after heating in hot water.

A multifunctional lock comprises a lock shell (1), a lock bar (3), movable tooth pieces (4), a support (5) for sliding blocks, sliding blocks (6) and a guide slot unit (8) for the insertion of a key. Wherein, an elastic element is provided between the lock bar and the support, the sliding blocks at least partially extend into the keyway of the unit. When the lock is unlocked, a projection of the unit has two operating positions, in one of which the projection is received into the cut of the shell and the upper teeth of the tooth pieces disengage from the bottom teeth of the sliding blocks, in another it is out of the cut and the upper teeth engage with the bottom teeth. The key of the lock can be changed many times.

An adjustable mandibular advancement device has an upper plate for covering upper teeth of a human and a lower plate for covering lower teeth of the human. A magnetic closure mechanism is provided in the device in order to hold the upper plate in contact with the lower plate when the device is positioned in a person's mouth. The magnetic closure mechanism includes one or more magnets in the upper plate and one or more magnets in the lower plate. The magnets are positioned so that when the upper plate and lower plate are in contact, the lower plate pulls the person's lower teeth and lower jaw forward and down in order to reduce obstruction of an airway during sleep or physical activity such as sport. An adjustment mechanism between the plates allows the position of the lower plate relative to the upper plate to be adjusted.

An apparatus for preventing sleep apnea in a wearer comprises upper and u-shaped appliances, a bottom protrusion extending from the lower appliance in a direction generally away from an occlusal surface of the lower appliance and a top protrusion extending from the upper appliance, the top protrusion including an adjusting block having a height of between 5 / 16 and 13 / 32 of an inch adjustably extending therefrom and having a leading surface oriented to engage the top protrusion. A method for preventing sleep apnea in a wearer comprises locating the top protrusion below and extending away from the top occlusal surface of a wearer's upper teeth, locating the bottom protrusion above and extending away from the bottom occlusal surface of a wearer's lower teeth and extending the adjusting block in an anterior direction from the top protrusion towards the bottom protrusion.

A personal identification method using a digital image of teeth of a person to be identified including constructing a database by storing teeth images from a plurality of persons and at least one corresponding teeth characteristic element of each person; determining a position of an interline between an upper teeth portion and a lower teeth portion from an inner mouth area that is separated from a teeth image of the person to be identified, and isolating an upper teeth area and a lower teeth area based on the position of the interline; identifying one or more teeth characteristic elements from the upper and lower teeth areas; and searching the database based on the identified one or more teeth characteristic elements and determining identification pass or fail according to a similarity between the teeth image of the person to be identified and a teeth image retrieved from the database.