Mouthpiece

March 25, 1952

2,590,118

V. J. ODDO, JR

MOUTHPIECE

Filed Oct. 1, 1949

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attorney

Patented Mar. 25, 1952

2,590,118

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE

2,590,118

MOUTHPIECE

Vincent J. Oddo, Jr., Providence, R. I.

Application October

Claims.

My present invention relates to dental appliances, and more particularly to a novel construction of a mouthpiece.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a mouthpiece which protects both the upper and lower teeth.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a mouthpiece which permits opening and closing of the mouth without dislodging the mouthpiece.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a mouthpiece that allows free breathing through the mouth.

With the above and other objects and advantageous features in view, my invention consists of a novel construction, more fully disclosed in the detailed description following, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, and more particularly defined in the appended claims.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, showing the mouthpiece in position;

Fig. 2 is a side view of the mouthpiece;

Fig. 3 is a front view of the same;

Fig. 4 is a section taken on line 4—4 of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 5 is a perspective view showing the top construction.

The conventional prizefighter’s mouthpiece is entirely inadequate as a protective device. It 3 fails to properly protect the fighter’s teeth and jaw; it interferes with his breathing; and it is easily knocked from his mouth during a fight. The device of the present invention eliminates these defects and provides a mouthpiece that is 3 suitable for use in all sports.

The mouthpiece of the present invention is constructed of pre-vulcanized latex rubber and is durable, flexible and light. It protects both the upper and lower teeth, the gums, lips, cheeks 4 and tongue. It allows breathing through the mouth, talking or spitting. It helps prevent unnatural movements of the lower jaw. It can be readily sterilized by boiling or with alcohol.

Referring more in detail to the drawings, illus- 4 trating my invention, the mouthpiece iO comprises an integral, one-piece body of resilient rubber material in a general U-shape conforming to the alignment of the teeth. Generally it comprises an upper section 11 and a lower section 12 5 integrally joined at the rear portions 13 and 14. Both the upper section II and lower section 12 comprise a channel construction as shown in Fig. 4, the upper section II forming a U-shaped trough 15 and the lower section 12 forming an B

1,1949, Serial No. 119,100 (Cl. 128—136) inverted U-shaped trough 16. The troughs 15 and 16 are designed to completely surround the teeth and gums in a protective rubber sheath. The sides of the portions 15 and 16 extend up5 wardly and downwardly a sufficient distance to conform to the shape of the mouth, the upper and lower edges being irregular to accommodate the bones and muscles in the mouth.

The inside of each trough 15 or 16 may be 10 molded to conform to the wearer’s teeth for a close fit, or may be generally restricted in a standard size to grip the teeth. As can be seen in the drawings, the upper and lower portions 11 and 12 are separated, as at 11, to a point adja15 cent the first molar and are integrally joined rearwardly beyond that point. This permits the lower portion 12 to be hinged downwardly into the dotted line position shown in Fig. 2.

It is desirable that the device grip the teeth so that it will not be easily dislodged. When in position, the teeth and gums will be encased in resilient rubber, affording complete protection, yet the wearer can open his mouth to breathe or talk. Furthermore, the conventional mouthpiece leaves the lower teeth exposed so that blows on the cheeks or lips cause cuts on the inside of the mouth. The present invention eliminates such injuries by its complete coverage of the teeth and gums. The present construction also resiliently resists twisting of the lowei· jaw by a blow which often has harmful results. The cushioning effect of the device helps prevent basal skull fractures, temperomandibular joint injuries, dental fractures, and other similar injuries.

The device can be made in standard sizes such as small, medium and large. However, it is preferable that it be constructed in the same manner as a precision prosthetic appliance. The method of construction is as follows:

First, an impression is taken of the upper and lower arches in a conventional elastic type impression material.

This impression must include not only the teeth, but also the complete dental alveolar processes—tissues, muscles, gums and bone structure.

m the second step, the impressions of the upper and lower jaws are used to make models of dental plaster or dental stone. The models are now mounted on a hinge so that the teeth will close in the same alignment as the actual teeth. The hinge is then extended so that the uppers and lowers are spread apart a distance of two millimeters to allow for the rubber cushion.

In step three, wax is formed to the models to cover all tooth surfaces and gums, to the muco-

2,590,118 buccal fold in the upper front, the hard palate in the rear of the front portion, the border of the mouth on the inside, and back as far as the upper and lower triangles. The wax is formed approximately one millimeter in thickness. 5

In the fourth step, the uppers and lowers are placed together and the wax united from the first molar region on each side rearwardly so that they are continuous with each other. From the first molar region forwardly, the upper and lower 10 forms are kept separated by inserting a sheet of tin foil approximately .005 in thickness.

In step five the completed wax up on the models, with the tin foil in place, is invested completely in dental plaster with one large sprue one 15 inch in diameter leading into the front portion.

The sixth step is the removal of the wax by boiling the entire investment in water and then allowing it to dry.

In step seven, prevulcanized latex is poured 20 into the mold through the sprue opening and allowed to dehydrate for 24 hours.

In the final step, the investment and tin foil are removed and the sprue is cut at its point of attachment. The cut surface is then polished with sand paper or a felt wheel to finish the surface.

The above process produces a one-piece, resilient appliance which is integrally hinged to permit opening and closing of the mouth. The 30 central opening permits free breathing through the mouth. Because of the clinging, rubbery fit, the mouth can be opened without dislodging the appliance. The complete rubber coverage protects the teeth and gums of the uppers and low- 35 ers equally and prevents injury to the soft tissues such as the lips, cheek and tongue.

While I have described a specific embodiment of my invention and a specific method of manufacture of the same, it is obvious that changes 40 may be made in the size and shape of the parts or in the method of manufacture without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.