Air-permeable adaptable mouthguard having clamped jaws

Abstract

A mouthguard able to be shaped in the mouth, has an adaptable structure consisting of an adaptable material, and a skeleton, at least partially covered by the adaptable structure, consisting of a non-adaptable material. The mouthguard also has a removable pallet consisting of a non-adaptable material and comprising a first region intended to butt against the skeleton, the region of the pallet being dimensioned such that, during the adaptation phase of the mouthguard, the combined presence of the pallet and of the skeleton ensures both ventilation space and the presence of sufficient material at the incisor-canine area.

Claims

1. A mouthguard, suitable for being shaped in the mouth, comprising: an adaptable structure, consisting of an adaptable material having an upper splint for receiving a maxillary dental arch and a lower splint for receiving a mandibular dental arch, a frame a portion of which is covered by the adaptable structure, said frame consisting of a non-adaptable material, the adaptable structure and the frame being arranged to form an incisor-canine guard area at least at the upper canines and incisors, and an occlusal rim at each lateral dental sector, a removable pallet, consisting of a non-adaptable material comprising a first region intended to butt against the frame, said first region of the pallet being dimensioned such that, during the mouthguard adaptation phase, a combined presence of said pallet and said frame ensures both a ventilation space and a presence of sufficient adaptable material in the incisor-canine area.

2. The mouthguard according to claim 1, wherein the first region of the pallet has a cross-section having a surface area greater than or equal to 30 square millimeters.

3. The mouthguard according to claim 1, wherein the pallet has an arm, comprising a lug, said lug being suitable for being inserted into a slot provided in the adaptable structure.

4. The mouthguard according to claim 1, wherein the pallet has a rim in the form of an arc, suitable for butting against the incisor-canine area.

5. The mouthguard according to claim 1, wherein the pallet has a gripping region.

6. The mouthguard according to claim 1, further comprising an aperture wherein the pallet can be inserted.

7. The mouthguard according to claim 1, wherein the adaptable structure comprises an upper vestibular flap defining the upper splint.

8. The mouthguard according to claim 1, wherein the frame comprises a fixing cradle.

9. The mouthguard according to claim 1, wherein the frame comprises front reinforcements.

10. The mouthguard according to claim 1, wherein the frame comprises side reinforcements.

11. The mouthguard according to claim 1, wherein the frame comprises a securing hole for securing the frame in the adaptable structure.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The invention, according to one preferential embodiment, will be understood and the advantages thereof will emerge more clearly on reading the detailed description hereinafter, given as an indication and not for the purposes of limitation, with reference to the appended figures presented hereinafter:

(2) FIG. 1 a) is a front and bottom view of a mouthguard according to the invention according to a first embodiment,

(3) FIG. 1 b) is a front and bottom view of a mouthguard according to the invention according to a second embodiment,

(4) FIG. 2 is a rear and top view of the mouthguard in FIG. 1 a),

(5) FIG. 3 is a transparent view of the mouthguard in FIG. 2, showing the position of the frame,

(6) FIG. 4 is a plane top view of the frame,

(7) FIG. 5 represents a sectional view of the skeleton in FIG. 4 along the axis IV-IV,

(8) FIG. 6 is a front view of the frame in FIG. 4,

(9) FIG. 7 is right-hand side view of the frame in FIG. 4,

(10) FIG. 8a) is a plane top view of a pallet according to a first embodiment,

(11) FIG. 8b) is a plane top view of a pallet according to a second embodiment,

(12) FIG. 9 is a profile view of the pallets illustrated in FIGS. 8a) and 8b),

(13) FIG. 10 is a front view of the pallets illustrated in FIGS. 8a) and 8b),

(14) FIG. 11 is a schematic view of the position of the pallet in FIG. 8a) with respect to the frame.

(15) The identical elements represented in FIGS. 1 to 11 are identified with identical reference numbers.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT(S)

(16) The mouthguard according to the invention comprises an adaptable structure 1 and a frame 2.

(17) A mouthguard is generally shaped in the form of the dental arch, i.e. it has an arc region forming the incisor-canine area and two lateral sectors corresponding to the positions of the premolars and molars.

(18) The adaptable structure 1 is made of an adaptable material, i.e. a material that should enable the user to adapt the mouthguard to the user's orodental morphology, for example by means of a thermo-adaptation technique with hot water.

(19) In the first embodiment describes, the adaptable structure 1 has an upper splint 122 for receiving the maxillary dental arch, and a lower splint 121 for receiving the mandibular dental arch. The shape of the maxillary 122 and mandibular 121 splints of the adaptable structure 1 is suitable for filling any spaces without teeth during the mouthguard adaptation phase to the user's orodental morphology.

(20) The adaptable structure 1 has an incisor-canine area 11 connecting two lateral sectors 12 (one left and one right). When the mouthguard is in the mouth, the incisor-canine area 11 is situated at the upper (maxillary) and lower (mandibular) canines and incisors, and the two lateral sectors 12 are situated on either side, at the upper (maxillary) and lower (mandibular) premolars and molars.

(21) The adaptable structure 1 further comprises an upper vestibular flap 111, defining the upper splint 122 for receiving the maxillary dental arch.

(22) Advantageously, the upper vestibular flap 111 has a notch 112 facilitating the position of the upper lip stop.

(23) The adaptable structure 1 may, according to a second embodiment shown in FIG. 1 b), also comprise a lower vestibular flap 114, in this case defining the lower splint 121 for receiving the mandibular dental arch.

(24) According to a first example of an embodiment, the adaptable structure 1 has an aperture 113, defined by the frame 2 and the discontinuous lower splint 121 (or the lower vestibular flap 114 in the case of the second embodiment), wherein a pallet 3 for retaining a sufficient ventilation space during the shaping of the mouthguard, while retaining the minimum thicknesses, may be inserted.

(25) The shape of the adaptable structure 1, in this case, matches the standardised orodental morphology (depth of upper (maxillary) 111 and lower (mandibular) 114 vestibular flaps if it exists, position of notch 112, arch width and length, etc.).

(26) The frame 2 is included in the adaptable structure 1. It preferably consists of a material having a non-modifiable texture (or suitable for modelling) using the recommended technique for adapting the adaptable structure 1 to the user's orodental morphology (thermo-adaptation technique with hot water or other techniques).

(27) In this way, during adaptation in the mouth after softening the adaptable structure 1, the frame 2 is suitable for retaining, in regions at risk of injuries, the minimum material thicknesses required for absorbing and dissipating the energy of the traumatic impact.

(28) The frame 2 also has an incisor-canine area 21 and two lateral sectors 22 (one left and one right). As for the adaptable structure 1, when the mouthguard is in the mouth, the incisor-canine area 11 is situated at the upper (maxillary) and lower (mandibular) canines and incisors, and the two lateral sectors 12 are situated on either side, at the upper (maxillary) and lower (mandibular) premolars and molars.

(29) According to this example of an embodiment, the frame 2 has a plurality of reinforcements.

(30) In the incisor-canine area 21, the frame 2 has three front reinforcements 211, but not necessarily exclusively. The shape and position of these front reinforcements 211 firstly enables the mouthguard to retain a sufficient thickness at the incisors and canines and then helps retain the shape of the upper vestibular flap 111 when the material of the adaptable structure has been softened, so as to guide the correct positioning of the maxillary incisors during the adaptation procedure.

(31) According to one example of an embodiment, the front reinforcements 211 of the incisor-canine area 21 are interconnected by a joining element 212 for reinforcing the interlocking of the front reinforcements 211 and retaining the upper vestibular flap 111.

(32) The frame 2 also comprises upper 222 and lower 223 side reinforcements, preferably at the outer edges of the lateral sectors 22.

(33) These upper 222 and lower 223 side reinforcements may be a continuous strip of material or blocks. In the example illustrated in FIG. 6, the frame 2 comprises upper side reinforcements 222 in the form of a continuous strip, and lower side reinforcements (223a, 223b, 223c, 223d) in the form of blocks.

(34) The frame 2 also comprises securing holes 221 in the lateral sectors 22, or spaces 214 in the incisor-canine area 21 if a joining element 2121 is present. Indeed, according to a preferential embodiment, the frame 2 is produced, for example, by moulding, and the adaptable structure 1 is obtained by moulding. The presence of the securing holes 221 in the lateral sectors 22 of the frame 2, or in some cases, of the spaces 214 in the incisor-canine area, enables superior integration of the frame 2 in the adaptable material of the adaptable structure 1.

(35) According to a further example of an embodiment, the frame 2 also comprises a cradle 213 in the incisor-canine area 21, which may be used to attach the mouthguard to an American football helmet grid for example.

(36) The mouthguard further comprises a removable pallet 3 preferably made of a rigid material having a non-modifiable texture (or suitable for modelling) using the recommended technique for adapting the adaptable structure 1 to the user's orodental morphology (thermo-adaptation technique with hot water or other techniques).

(37) The adjustment of the pallet 3 with the frame 2 helps guide the user's maxillary dental arch in the upper (maxillary) splint 122 of the adaptable structure 1 during the mouthguard adaptation phase to the subject's orodental morphology.

(38) The pallet 3 essentially has a first region 33 suitable for engaging with the frame 2 to retain a sufficient ventilation space while retaining the thicknesses of the guard.

(39) Said region 33 is dimensioned such that, during the mouthguard adaptation phase, the positioning of this region 33 in the incisor-canine area, in the space 113 if it exists, and engaging with the frame 2, makes it possible to retain, or create or enlarge, a frontal ventilation space of a sufficient size during the mouthguard adaptation phase to the user's orodental morphology, so that the user can benefit from effective ventilation with the jaws clamped shut, for example during a sports activity. This first region 33 particularly has, in the intersection region between the pallet 3 and the incisor-canine area (when the pallet 3 is positioned for mouthguard adaptation), a cross-section 331 defined by a minimum width 1 and height h (FIGS. 8 a), 8 b), 10 and 11). The dimensions of the ventilation space are thus ensured by the dimensions of the smaller cross-section 331 of the first region 33. The ventilation space 113 is the space realized by the removable pallet 3 once the pallet 3 has been removed after shaping the mouthguard. In FIGS. 1a, 1b, 2 and 3 the ventilation space take place of the space 113 after shaping the mouthguard, once the positioning of the region 33 in space 113 has retained or enlarged a ventilation space. In FIG. 11, the ventilation space takes place of the region 33 once the pallet has been removed after shaping of the mouthguard.

(40) Advantageously, this cross-section 331 should be devised so as to retain, after the mouthguard shaping procedure, a frontal ventilation space having a cross-section approximately greater than or equal to 30 square millimeters.

(41) For example this cross-section 331 is designed to allow the passage of a template having the following dimensions, after shaping: height h: 2 mm, width l: 15 mm.

(42) The pallet 3 has, according to one preferential example of an embodiment, two arms 34, one left arm 341 and one right arm 342, each ending with a lug (343, 344), each lug (343, 344) being suitable for being inserted into slots 350 provided for this purpose in the lateral sectors 12 of the adaptable structure 1 and butting against the lateral sectors 22 of the frame 2 (not necessarily in direct contact), to hold the pallet 3 in position during the mouthguard adaptation phase.

(43) The junction (345 or 346) of these two arms 341 and 342 may take various forms: for example, the junction 345 would be more rigid than the junction 346. The junction 346 is suitable, for example, for facilitating the insertion and extraction of the pallet when the space 113 is formed at the interface between the continuous lower splint 121 and the frame 2 (for example, when the mouthguard is produced according to the second embodiment).

(44) The pallet 3 also has a rim 32 in the form of an arc which is, preferably, specifically adjusted to the rim of the incisor-canine area 11 of the adaptable structure 1 to facilitate the positioning of the lugs (343, 344) in the slots 350 during shaping in the mouth, and thus hold the position of the region 33 for example during the adaptation phase.

(45) Advantageously, the pallet 3 has a gripping region 31.

(46) Finally, the mouthguard may be produced using conventional methods. In particular, the frame, produced for example by moulding, is positioned in a mould wherein the material of the adaptable structure is injected. Consequently, the adaptable structure may eventually have small holes corresponding to blocks present in the mould to hold the frame in place when injecting the material of the adaptable structure.

(47) Naturally, various alternative embodiments are possible, without leaving the scope of the invention.