Double tray dental apparatus

United States Patent

[11J 3,536,069

<td> [72]</td><td> Inventor</td><td> Kenneth W. Gores</td>

<td></td><td></td><td> Bellevue, Washington</td>

<td> [21]</td><td> Appl. No.</td><td> 856,395</td>

<td> [22]</td><td> Filed</td><td> Sept. 9,1969</td>

<td> [45]</td><td> Patented</td><td> Oct. 27,1970</td>

<td> [73]</td><td> Assignee</td><td> Kirman Laboratories,Inc.</td>

<td></td><td></td><td> Portland, Oregon</td>

<td></td><td></td><td> a corporation of Washington</td>

[ 54 ] DOUBLE TRAY DENTAL APPARATUS

Claims, 6 Drawing Figs.

[52] U.S. Cl........................................................ 128/136,

32/14

[51] Int.Cl......................................................... A6H5/56

[50] Field of Search............................................ 32/14, 17;

128/136, 134,260

[56] References Cited

UNITED STATES PATENTS

2,857,909 10/1958 Johnson....................... 128/136

3,416,527 12/1968 Hoef............................. 128/260

Primary Examiner— Robert Peshock

Attorney—Ford E. Smith

ABSTRACT: Apparatus is provided to encase both upper and lower dentition of a human mouth. A pair of trays are resiliently hinged together to apply forces operating in a divergent manner to aid in retention of the apparatus in the mouth during use which may be as a mouthguard and as a medication applicator.

<img file="US3536069A_D0001.tif" />

Patented Oct. 27, 1970

3,536,069

<img file="US3536069A_D0002.tif" />

3,536,069 forward and rearward as well as laterally with respect to the other tray to obtain the desired conformance.

While this apparatus may be used as a mouthguard by athletes engaging in body contact sports, it has another valua5 ble use in the application of medicinal compounds. An insert 26 formed of spongelike resilient material may be disposed in the cavity of either or both trays. A particular such use is concerned with applying fluoride compounds which are available in liquid and gel form. Such compound may be introduced to the insert or inserts in place in the apparatus. When the two trays are placed in the mouth, the user bites down and compresses the insert material causing the medication to be forced into all interproximal spaces and around and about the teeth. Relief of such pressure causes a sucking back. The result is a thorough and complete bathing treatment of the user’s dentition.

In FIG. 5 the double insert comprising portions 27,28 are connected by lateral extending bridges 30,30 which also permit lateral and anterior-posterior adjusting movements to ac20 commodate malocclusion.

The bridge members 22 may be medially thinned as at 23 to some degree less than their cross section adjacent their anchored ends to facilitate the lateral and anterior-posterior shifting required where malocclusion is encountered.

In FIG. 6 instanding horns 32 are shown on the inner surfaces of the walls 16,18 to overlie the insert 26 to loosely hold it in the channel as the device is being readied or placed in the mouth.

The apparatus here disclosed is the preferred form. It will be 30 apparent to those skilled in the art that alternatives may be employed to accomplish the same results. Also materials may be substituted to obtain equivalent structure and performance.