A tremor control mouth piece comprising at least one pressure applicator contacting and applying pressure to at least one appropriate pressure point on the lingual aspect of a patient's maxilla, a structure fitting inside and engaging the lingual aspect of the patients maxilla and retaining the pressure applicator; and a connector for removably affixing the mouth piece to at least one engaging surface inside the mouth, whereby a structure is placed and secured inside the mouth and the appropriate pressure is applied to a pre-determined pressure point thereby reducing body tremors.

[Problem] To provide a masticatory-function evaluation and management system capable of quickly counting fine particles having been not crushed and ground finely and quickly quantifying masticatory efficiency using photographic data of an artificial food mass in a stretched state, and capable of managing the masticatory efficiency quantified using such an artificial food mass for masticatory function evaluation along the time series. [Solution] When image data of an artificial food mass, in a stretched state, for masticatory function evaluation is received, the image data being transmitted from a user terminal, the number of fine particles having a spherical shape is counted from among all fine particles present in the image data, and masticatory efficiency is calculated on the basis of the number of the fine particles having the spherical shape.

An apparatus for evaluating the tongue strength and coordination of a subject includes an intermediate device such as a lever which is pivotably attached to a coupling device and extends into a cavity of a nipple element. The lever is detached from the nipple and pivotable in response to deformation of the nipple element by a tongue force exerted on the nipple element by a subject during a suck-swallow-breathe sequence. The coupling device includes a sensing device to wirelessly transmit sensor outputs to a mobile device paired to the sensing device. The sensing device includes at least one sealed chamber defined by a membrane and a sensor. In one example, a first membrane and sensor senses pressure change in a fluid in the apparatus, and a second membrane and sensor is actuated by the intermediate device to sense deformation of the nipple element. A method using the apparatus is provided.

A method for determining an individual biting force of a patient includes providing a test piece with a deformable nature, individually pre-shaping a surface of the test piece for the patient so as to obtain at least one of a defined positioning of the test piece on teeth of the patient and on a device supported by at least one of an upper jaw and a lower jaw of the patient, introducing the test piece between the upper jaw and the lower jaw of the patient, biting, via the patient, onto the test piece so as to provide a deformation of the test piece, and determining the individual biting force by examining the deformation of the test piece.

An apparatus includes: a mouthpiece configured for placement inside a mouth of a user; a processing module; and a tube having a first end coupled to the mouthpiece, and a second end coupled to the processing module; wherein the processing module comprises a sensor configured to detect a characteristic due to a biting force applied to the mouthpiece by the user.

A mouthpiece includes: a body comprising one or more portions defining a space for accommodating one or more teeth of a user; and a first cavity at least partly in the body, wherein a volume inside the first cavity is variable in response to a compression applied to the body.

An apparatus and method for detecting and reducing bruxism is described. The method includes the placement of a pressure resistive (or piezoelectric) sensor on the skin above the temporalis muscle in order to detect grinding of the teeth based on movement of the temporalis muscle. Alternatively, a pressure resistor could be used in the ear. The pressure resistive sensor could be made of carbon-impregnated polyolefin. Once bruxism is detected, a patient is notified and uses bio-feedback to curtain the grinding of the teeth.

A wearable dental apparatus for capturing dental properties of a patient includes a support structure. The support structure is configured to be worn on the dentition of the patient. The wearable dental apparatus includes at least one sensor. The sensor is coupled to the support structure. The sensor is configured to capture a series of measurement of a dental property of the patient. The measurements are associated with one or more locations on the dentition of the patient. A dental map is generated based on at least some of the measurements and is displayed. The dentition of a patient is restored by selecting a restoration material based on the measurements.

An apparatus for evaluating the tongue strength and coordination of a subject includes an intermediate device such as a lever which is pivotably attached to a coupling device and extends into a cavity of a nipple element. The lever is detached from the nipple and pivotable in response to deformation of the nipple element by a tongue force exerted on the nipple element by a subject during a suck-swallow-breathe sequence. The coupling device includes a sensing device to wirelessly transmit sensor outputs to a mobile device paired to the sensing device. The sensing device includes at least one sealed chamber defined by a membrane and a sensor. In one example, a first membrane and sensor senses pressure change in a fluid in the apparatus, and a second membrane and sensor is actuated by the intermediate device to sense deformation of the nipple element. A method using the apparatus is provided.

Pressure sensor modules adapted for use with a dental appliance may include one or more pressure sensors encapsulated within a sealed cavity in which one or more walls of the sealed cavity are deformable so as to transduce pressure from outside of the cavity, due to deformation or movement of the dental appliance and/or the environment around the dental appliance, including the environment within a patient's mouth when wearing the dental appliance. Also described herein are method of making and using these apparatuses to identify and/or monitor the dental appliance, a patient condition and/or an orthodontic treatment. Also described herein are methods and apparatuses for identifying and/or characterizing sleep apnea using these pressure sensor modules.