Systems, methods, and devices for applying distributed forces for mandibular advancement

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016199216-A1
Application number	US-201614992325-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 11, 2016
Priority date	Jan 13, 2015
Publication date	Jul 14, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Improved systems, methods, and devices for treating sleep apnea are provided herein. In one aspect, an intraoral appliance for treating sleep apnea in a patient comprises an appliance shell comprising a plurality of cavities shaped to receive teeth of a jaw of the patient. The appliance shell can comprise an advancement structure arranged to interact with an opposing jaw of the patient so as to displace the lower jaw anteriorly relative to the upper jaw. The plurality of cavities can comprise cavity geometries shaped to reduce repositioning of one or more received teeth elicited by displacement of the lower jaw anteriorly relative to the upper jaw.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An intraoral appliance for treating sleep apnea in a patient by displacing a lower jaw of the patient anteriorly relative to an upper jaw of the patient, the appliance comprising:
an appliance shell comprising a plurality of cavities shaped to receive teeth of a jaw of the patient, wherein the appliance shell comprises an advancement structure arranged to interact with an opposing jaw of the patient so as to displace the lower jaw anteriorly relative to the upper jaw, and wherein the plurality of cavities comprises cavity geometries shaped to reduce repositioning of one or more received teeth elicited by displacement of the lower jaw anteriorly relative to the upper jaw.

2 . The appliance of claim 1 , wherein the cavity geometries are shaped to apply a non-uniform force distribution on the one or more received teeth.

3 . The appliance of claim 2 , wherein the non-uniform force distribution comprises an amount of force applied to one or more posterior teeth that is greater than an amount of force applied to one or more anterior teeth.

4 . The appliance of claim 3 , wherein the plurality of cavities comprises one or more posterior cavities shaped to receive the one or more posterior teeth, and wherein the one or more posterior cavities comprise a position different from a position of the one or more posterior teeth.

5 . The appliance of claim 3 , wherein the cavity geometries comprise a gap between an inner cavity wall and a surface of the one or more anterior teeth.

6 . The appliance of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of cavities is shaped to receive at least one anterior tooth, and wherein the cavity geometries are shaped to reduce repositioning of the at least one anterior tooth elicited by the displacement.

7 . The appliance of claim 6 , wherein the at least one anterior tooth comprises an anterior tooth of the lower jaw and the cavity geometries are shaped to reduce anterior flaring of the anterior tooth of the lower jaw elicited by the displacement.

8 . The appliance of claim 6 , wherein the at least one anterior tooth comprises an anterior tooth of the upper jaw and the cavity geometries are shaped to reduce retraction of the anterior tooth of the upper jaw elicited by the displacement.

9 . The appliance of claim 1 , further comprising a second appliance shell comprising a second plurality of cavities shaped to receive teeth of the opposing jaw.

10 . The appliance of claim 9 , wherein the advancement structure interacts with the opposing jaw via engagement with a second advancement structure of the second appliance shell.

11 . A method for producing an intraoral appliance for treating sleep apnea in a patient, the method comprising:
determining, with aid of one or more processors, a geometry of an appliance shell comprising a plurality of cavities shaped to receive teeth of a jaw of the patient, wherein the appliance shell comprises an advancement structure arranged to interact with an opposing jaw of the patient so as to displace the lower jaw anteriorly relative to the upper jaw, and wherein the plurality of cavities comprises cavity geometries shaped to reduce repositioning of one or more received teeth elicited by displacement of the lower jaw anteriorly relative to the upper jaw.

12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the cavity geometries are shaped to apply a non-uniform force distribution on the one or more received teeth.

13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the non-uniform force distribution comprises an amount of force applied to one or more posterior teeth that is greater than an amount of force applied to one or more anterior teeth.

14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the plurality of cavities comprises one or more posterior cavities shaped to receive the one or more posterior teeth, and wherein the one or more posterior cavities comprise a position different from a position of the one or more posterior teeth.

15 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the cavity geometries comprise a gap between an inner cavity wall and a surface of the one or more anterior teeth.

16 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of cavities is shaped to receive at least one anterior tooth, and wherein the cavity geometries are shaped to reduce repositioning of the at least one anterior tooth elicited by the displacement.

17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the at least one anterior tooth comprises an anterior tooth of the lower jaw and the cavity geometries are shaped to reduce anterior flaring of the anterior tooth of the lower jaw elicited by the displacement.

18 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the at least one anterior tooth comprises an anterior tooth of the upper jaw and the cavity geometries are shaped to reduce retraction of the anterior tooth of the upper jaw elicited by the displacement.

19 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising determining, with aid of the one or more processors, a geometry of a second appliance shell comprising a second plurality of cavities shaped to receive teeth of the opposing jaw.

20 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the advancement structure interacts with the opposing jaw via engagement with a second advancement structure of the second appliance shell.

Assignees

• Align Technology Inc

Inventors

• Cam Bruce
• Tjhia Crystal
• Li Chunhua
• Matov Vadim
• Morton John

Classifications

• A61C7/36

  Devices acting between upper and lower teeth · CPC title

• A61C7/002

  Orthodontic computer assisted systems · CPC title

• A61C7/08

  Mouthpiece-type retainers {or positioners, e.g. for both the lower and upper arch (arch-shaped medicament applicators for teeth or gums A61C19/063; mouthguards for protecting the teeth of sportsmen A63B71/085)} · CPC title

• A61F5/566 Primary

  Intra-oral devices · CPC title