Dentistry – Apparatus – Having static product shaping surface
Reexamination Certificate
2000-01-17
2001-06-19
Mancene, Gene (Department: 3732)
Dentistry
Apparatus
Having static product shaping surface
C433S214000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06247926
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to the field of oral appliances, and more particularly to an oral appliance having a bonding layer and methods for fitting and relining the same.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Many oral appliances include a deformable material for forming a mold of some or all of a user's teeth to customize the oral appliance for the user. The deformable material is often placed in a tray before being inserted into the user's mouth. It is often desirable to form a durable mold that properly fits the user's teeth to improve the performance and lengthen the life of the associated oral appliance. Molds that are not durable or do not properly fit the user's teeth may prevent the associated oral appliance from adequately serving the purposes for which they were constructed.
A known technique for forming a mold of a user's teeth includes inserting a tray with a heated deformable material into the user's mouth, pressing the user's teeth into the deformable material, and removing the tray from the user's mouth after the deformable material has cooled. Such techniques may not provide a proper fit, however, due to the tendency of many deformable materials to contract during cooling, thereby expanding the impressions made by the user's teeth. In addition, this technique must often be repeated numerous times before even a marginally adequate fit can be achieved.
Deformable materials used in connection with such techniques may also cool more quickly and display less thermoplasticity at certain temperatures than the clinical professional might desire, thereby limiting the time in which the clinical professional may manipulate the deformable material to form a mold of the user's teeth. Furthermore, molds fitted using such techniques may be less safe for the user due to the increased tendency of the user's teeth to move with respect to a mold that does not properly fit the user's teeth. Moreover, many molds may display insufficient dimensional stability during cooling, hardness, or biocompatibility to function properly in a variety of contexts. In addition, such materials may be difficult or impossible to introduce into the mouth of a user to properly customize an existing mold, limiting the efficiency, economic availability, and effectiveness of techniques associated with these materials.
Even if an adequate fit is achieved through the use of a suitable deformable material, the deformable material may delaminate from the tray in a relatively short period of time, making the oral appliance inoperative thereafter. In addition, if such delamination occurs during use of the oral appliance, the user is inconvenienced and may need to have the oral appliance mended or replaced. In other situations, the user may be injured or be left more prone to injury as a result of such delamination. These and other deficiencies make prior oral appliances inadequate for many applications.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to the present invention, disadvantages and problems associated with oral appliances having deformable materials are substantially reduced or eliminated.
According to one embodiment of the present invention, an oral appliance includes a bonding layer coupled to a tray. A deformable material that includes an aliphatic polyester is coupled to the bonding layer. In a more particular embodiment, the bonding layer includes a self-curing acrylic. In another more particular embodiment, the aliphatic polyester is a polycaprolactone polymer having the formula:
where R is an aliphatic hydrocarbon. The bonding layer may be chemically bonded to the tray and the deformable material may be chemically bonded to the bonding layer.
According to an additional embodiment of the present invention, a method for fitting an oral appliance to a user includes inserting the oral appliance into the user's mouth and forming a mold of one or more of the user's teeth. The oral appliance includes a bonding layer coupled to a tray and a deformable material that includes an aliphatic polyester coupled to the bonding layer. The oral appliance is inserted into the user's mouth while the deformable material is in a deformable state.
According to another embodiment of the present invention, a method for relining an oral appliance having a first mold of a user's teeth includes coupling a bonding layer to the first mold. A deformable material that includes an aliphatic polyester is coupled to the bonding layer. The oral appliance is inserted into the user's mouth while the deformable material is in a deformable state to form a second mold of one or more of a user's teeth.
An important technical advantage of the present invention includes providing an oral appliance having an improved deformable material to more optimally fit a user's teeth. Improved fit may be important in connection with oral appliances designed to reduce or eliminate trauma injuries or breathing problems such as snoring and sleep apnea. The deformable material of the present invention provides desirable hardness, biocompatibility, dimensional stability during cooling, and thermoplasticity for a variety of applications.
Another important technical advantage of the present invention is providing an oral appliance that enhances the durability and lengthens the useful life of the oral appliance by reducing delamination of the deformable material from the tray. In one embodiment, such delamination is reduced because of the chemical or other bonding between the deformable material and the bonding layer, and between the bonding layer and the tray. Mechanical bonding may contribute to the coupling of the deformable material to the tray to further increase the useful life of the oral appliance.
Other technical advantages are readily apparent to one skilled in the art from the following figures, descriptions and claims.
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pat
Baker & Botts L.L.P.
Bumgarner Melba
Mancene Gene
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