The invention relates to a method for producing a guided bite splint for a supporting jaw comprising at least one guide for an opposing jaw. A 3D model of an upper jaw and/or a 3D model of a lower jaw are available, wherein the 3D models of the upper jaw and the lower jaw are arranged relative to one another in an occlusal position and integrated into a virtual articulator model which simulates an articulation movement of the lower jaw relative to the upper jaw, wherein a 3D model of the bite splint is constructed using the 3D model of the upper jaw and/or the 3D model of the lower jaw, wherein the at least one guide for the opposing jaw is constructed automatically on the 3D model of the bite splint with the aid of a computer.

An edentulous mouth insert appliance for mounting upon the edentulous gum of a patient, comprises a u-shaped frame formed of a rigid flexible material, with a portion to embrace the gum and a portion extending beyond the gum with an exposed surface to replicate a bite aligned with the corresponding occlusal plane. The frame has a base supporting a pair of inner and outer side walls spaced apart by the base a distance allowing the frame to encircle and cover the edentulous gum with a space between inner surfaces of the frame and the gum. A fill within the frame fills the space between the frame and the gum upon which the appliance is fitted, providing a void-free seal between the apparatus and the gum.

A retainer appliance includes a retainer body, a frame, a first clasp, and a second clasp. The retainer body is configured to contour a roof of a mouth of a patient and includes a bite block extending therefrom. The frame is secured to the retainer body and extends therefrom. The first clasp extends from a left portion of the retainer body and is configured to couple to a first tooth located in the mouth of the patient. The second clasp extends from a right portion of the retainer body and is configured to couple to a second tooth located in the mouth of the patient.

Example systems and methods for cloning catalog objects are described. In one implementation, a method identifies an original catalog object associated with data and creates a duplicate copy of the original catalog object without copying the data itself. The method allows access to the data using the duplicate catalog object and supports modifying the data associated with the original catalog object independently of the duplicate catalog object. The duplicate catalog object can be deleted upon completion of modifying the data associated with the original catalog object.

A mandibular advance advancement device generally indicated by the numeral 1. The mandibular advancement device 1 having a first member 2 and a second member 3. The first member 2 is configured to fit substantially over a portion of the teeth of the upper jaw of a user and the second member 3 is configured to fit substantially over a portion of the teeth of the lower jaw of the user. The mandibular advancement device 1 further has an engagement arrangement 4, configured to be engagable upon a forward manipulation of the lower jaw by the user, to maintain the lower jaw of the user in a predetermined protruding position relative to the upper jaw of the user and the natural biting position of the lower jaw.

An apparatus for providing breathing assistance includes a body with a recess for receiving teeth of a user to thereby position the body within an oral cavity of the user. A first opening extends beyond lips of a user to allow air from outside the oral cavity to be drawn in through the opening. A second opening is provided in the oral cavity to allow air to be directed into a posterior region of the oral cavity. A channel connects the first and second openings and through at least part of a buccal sulcus of the user.

Mandibular repositioning devices have a mandibular piece having a first teeth covering and having a housing proximate each of a left molar portion and a right molar portion, a protrusive flange extending cranially from each housing, and a maxillary piece having a second teeth covering and having a housing proximate each of a left molar portion and a right molar portion. Each housing encloses a power source electrically connected an on-board circuit board and the housings of the maxillary piece further have the power source electrically connected to a motor operatively connected to a drive for anterior and posterior movements of the mandibular piece. The maxillary piece sits on the mandibular piece with the driver operatively engaged with the protrusive flange. The protrusive flange has a concavely-shaped anterior surface mated to a convexly-shaped head of the driver shaped to match the concavely-shaped anterior surface of the protrusive flange.

A Mandibular Advancement Device (MAD) is disclosed which is useful for the treatment of snoring and Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA). The improved MAD design comprises upper and lower splints which can be set at an advanced protrusive position (as desired for snoring/OSA therapy), but which also permits some degree of lateral mandibular movement. The amount of protrusive mandibular advancement is adjustable.

The present invention provides a resin composition for stereolithography that excels in strength, toughness, and water resistance in the form of a shaped article. The present invention relates to a resin composition for stereolithography that comprises a urethanized (meth)acrylic compound (A), a (meth)acrylate compound (B) containing no urethane bond, and a photopolymerization initiator (C), the compound (A) being a urethanized (meth)acrylic compound (A-1) having a polymer structure, and/or a urethanized (meth)acrylic compound (A-2) having no polymer structure, the compound (A-1) having a weight-average molecular weight of less than 1,000, the compound (A-2) having a molecular weight of less than 1,000, the compound (B) comprising at least one selected from the group consisting of a (meth)acrylate compound (b-I) represented by general formula (I), and a (meth)acrylate compound (b-II) represented by general formula (II).

##STR00001##

Disclosed herein are methods of manufacturing an oral appliance, the method comprising the steps of: a) importing into a computer aided design (CAD) computer program a digitized data set obtained from a three-dimensional scan of a patient's dentition; b) preparing a three-dimensional electronic model of the patient's dentition; c) subtracting the three-dimensional electronic model of the patient's dentition from an image of a solid block to obtain an appliance data set; and d) manufacturing a dental appliance in accordance with the appliance data set. Also disclosed are devices made by the above method, and methods of treating a condition, for example a sleep breathing disorder, by using a device made by the above method.