Patent Application
20250186247
Mandibular advancement devices (MADs) generally work by using the teeth as a contact point, both as an anchor and a lever, to move the mandible forward. This is typically done by having an offset mechanism that allows the MAD to advance the mandible by pushing the lower jaw forward, thereby putting forward pressure on the teeth of the lower jaw, while simultaneously anchoring on the upper jaw, which places backward pressure on the teeth of the upper jaw. Since MADs are made to be used when the user sleeps, these pressures are applied over a long period of time. The jaw also moves during sleep, thus changing the position of the teeth several times during a sleep session.
With the current MADs available, teeth discomfort, teeth pain, forward dental drift of the lower teeth, and backward dental drift of the upper teeth are all common occurrences with usage. The main reason for this is that the MAD is using the teeth as a lever but is unable to move with the teeth when the jaw changes position. This causes the MAD to slip toward the end of the teeth, greatly increasing the pressure on them, as it changes the force applied from a straight forward or backward pressure to more of a forward or backward rotational pressure on the teeth; the rotational movement is the teeth rotating at their root insertion point. That is, if the MAD does not slip off the teeth entirely and cease to function, which they often do.
While there are a few MADs on the market, none of the MADs currently available move with the mandible. While most MADs don't move at all, those that do only open and close, and they do so in ways that don't allow the MAD to move as the mandible moves. The mandible naturally does not move in just one direction. As the mandible opens, it also tracks forward. Unless a MAD can open while also moving in forward traction, it will not be able to move with the teeth, causing the MAD to slip off. Likewise, when the mandible translates from side to side, the mandible does so with a slight amount of rotation as well. Unless a device can translate and compensate for that rotation as the mandible does so, the MAD again won't be able to move with the teeth, and this will eventually cause the MAD to slip off.
Allowing circumduction helps the mandibular advancement device (MAD) fit more comfortably by mimicking the natural movement of the mandible. If the device were to rigidly hold the mandible in one fixed position, it may result in discomfort, soreness, or even jaw pain over time to the user. A device that respects the mandible's natural mobility can reduce the risk of these issues, making it more likely that the user will wear the device consistently. Moreover, the mandible is not meant to stay in one fixed position for prolonged periods. By permitting circumduction, the MAD helps avoid unnecessary strain on the jaw joints and muscles. Restricting jaw movement could contribute to temporomandibular joint (TMJ) dysfunction or other musculoskeletal problems. A device that allows slight movement can minimize these risks.
During sleep, people often change positions, and the mandible moves in response to the new head or body posture. A MAD that allows circumduction enables the mandible to adjust to these position changes without forcing it into an unnatural alignment. This flexibility helps the device remain effective in maintaining airway patency, i.e., keeping the airway open, regardless of how the user sleeps, whether on their back, side, or stomach. Furthermore, circumduction facilitates natural mouth movements like swallowing or slight jaw adjustments during breathing. A device that allows for these movements is more likely to be well-tolerated throughout the night, leading to better compliance and improved sleep quality.
Hence, there is a need for a mandibular advancement device (MAD) that does not place undue pressure on the teeth leading to discomfort, pain, and dental drift. Moreover, there is a need for a MAD that moves as the mandible moves, facilitating simultaneous opening and closing, protrusion and retraction, and side-to-side and/or lateral translation and rotation of the mandible. Furthermore, there is a need for a MAD that stays with the mandible and does not slip off the teeth, making for a much more comfortable, effective, and enjoyable user experience.
The mandibular advancement device (MAD) disclosed herein addresses the above-recited need for reliable and comfortable mandibular advancement for treating obstructive sleep apnea, snoring, and teeth grinding while facilitating circumduction, including opening and closing, protrusion and retraction, and side-to-side or lateral translation and rotation, of the mandible without placing undue pressure on the teeth and causing oral issues. The MAD disclosed herein has a split design, allowing the right and left sides of the device to move independently. The split design has less surface area. Therefore, the MAD disclosed herein will feel smaller than existing mandibular advancement devices, while being more comfortable in general, exerting less pressure on the teeth and causing less teeth drift. Moreover, the MAD disclosed herein has an adjustable fitting connector, which coupled with the split design, will allow for usage of the MAD disclosed herein for a varying amount of mouth sizes and widths.
The mandibular advancement device (MAD) disclosed herein provides an adjustable amount of mandibular advancement and a custom moldable dental bite plate insert. The MAD moves as the mandible moves, providing four modes of active movement. The MAD opens and closes with the mouth. Furthermore, the MAD moves in translation (side to side) with the mandible. The MAD also moves in rotation with the mandible while translating. Moreover, the MAD moves in traction and retraction, i.e., forward and backward, while advancing the mandible. The MAD has two articulation joints to achieve the open, close, and side to side movement, while also having a translating and rotating articulation to help facilitate the translation and subsequent rotational movement of the mandible. Furthermore, the MAD has a flexible member that allows for protrusion and retraction of the mandible. Since the MAD stays with the mandible, it does not slip off the teeth.
The mandibular advancement device (MAD) disclosed herein comprises a fit connector, a left bite tray assembly, and a right bite tray assembly. Each of the left and the right bite tray assemblies comprise a top bite plate, a bottom bite plate, a hinge plate, a pin, and a circumduction anchor rod. The top bite plate, the bottom bite plate, and the hinge plate of the left and the right bite tray assemblies are laterally inverted mirror images of each other. The top bite plate fits around a portion of the upper teeth and the bottom bite plate fits around a portion of the lower teeth. The hinge plate is connected to the top bite plate via the pin that allows for relative rotation between the top bite plate and the hinge plate around the pin to facilitate opening and closing of the mouth while the MAD is in use. The hinge plate is connected to the bottom bite plate via the circumduction anchor rod, which has a cuboidal section that is inserted into a hole in the shape of an elliptical cylinder in the bottom bite plate and a semi-cylindrical section that is inserted into a semi-cylindrical-shaped depression in the hinge plate. The connection between the circumduction anchor rod and the bottom bite plate is secure and allows lateral translation and rotation between them. The connection between the circumduction anchor rod and the hinge plate is secure and allows lateral translation between the hinge plate and the bottom bite plate. The articulations between the top bite plate and the hinge plate and between the hinge plate and the bottom bite plate facilitate lateral translation and rotation of the mandible while the MAD is in use.
The hinge plate has a flexible member that extends and contracts facilitating protrusion and retraction of the mandible associated with opening and closing of the mouth respectively. Moreover, the hinge plate has a teeth-like structure that maintains a minimum advancement of the mandible during retraction of the mandible. Furthermore, the hinge plate has a tension prong that provides tension when opening the mouth for enabling a stable fit of the mandibular advancement device (MAD) in the mouth. Furthermore, the circumduction anchor rod has different embodiments varying in length to accommodate a required level of mandibular advancement.
The top and the bottom bite plates have enclosures. The enclosures of the top and the bottom bite plates each securely house a moldable bite insert. When fitting the mandibular advancement device (MAD) to the mouth for the first time, the left and the right bite tray assemblies are attached to the fit connector using capital-H-shaped connectors in the fit connector, substantially preventing movement of the MAD. This assembly is then connected to a Y-shaped connector in the fit connector. The fit connector is adjusted according to the required width to fit the MAD to the mouth by sliding the capital-H-shaped connectors along guiding slots in the arms of the Y-shaped connector. After fitting the MAD in the mouth, the MAD is heated in boiling water and bitten for the moldable bite inserts to conform to the teeth surrounded by the MAD. The fit connector is then removed and the left and the right bite tray assemblies are used independently without the fit connector during regular use of the MAD, wherein the MAD facilitates protrusion, retraction, translation, and rotation of the mandible while advancing the mandible.
These and further features of the present invention will be apparent with reference to the following description and drawings. In the description and drawings, particular embodiments of the invention have been disclosed in detail as being indicative of some of the ways in which the principles of the invention may be employed, but the invention is not limited correspondingly in scope. Rather, the invention includes all changes, modifications and equivalents coming within the spirit and terms of the claims.
Features that are described and/or illustrated with respect to one embodiment may be used in the same way or in a similar way in one or more other embodiments and/or in combination with or instead of the features of the other embodiments.
The foregoing summary, as well as the following detailed description of the invention, is better understood when read in conjunction with the appended drawings. For illustrating the embodiments herein, exemplary constructions of the embodiments are shown in the drawings. However, the embodiments herein are not limited to the specific components, modules, and methods disclosed herein. The description of a component, or a module, or a method step referenced by a numeral in a drawing is applicable to the description of that component, or that module, or that method step shown by that same numeral in any subsequent drawing herein.
Disclosed herein is a mandibular advancement device facilitating circumduction of the mandible. A mandibular adjustment device is an oral device designed to help users who suffer from obstructive sleep apnea and loud snoring. Obstructive sleep apnea occurs when the upper airway becomes partially or completely blocked during sleep, which can disrupt breathing and lead to poor sleep quality. The soft tissues in the throat collapse, causing pauses in breathing, known as apneas, or shallow breaths, known as hypopneas. This condition can lead to various health issues over time, such as problems with circulation, the nervous system, and even daytime fatigue, irritability, and headaches.
The primary goal of a mandibular advancement device is to improve sleep quality by reducing or eliminating snoring and breathing interruptions. This is achieved by repositioning the mandible, that is, the lower jaw, slightly forward. When the jaw is advanced, it helps to open the airway, particularly in the area of the throat where airway collapse tends to occur. This repositioning not only helps stabilize the jaw but also affects other structures in the throat, such as the hyoid bone, a bone that supports the tongue, preventing them from shifting backward and blocking the airway.
By adjusting the position of the jaw and hyoid bone, the mandibular advancement device reduces the narrowing of the pharyngeal space, where snoring and airway blockages commonly happen. It causes a slight forward movement of the tongue and soft palate, which increases the size of the airway, especially in its lateral dimensions, that is, the sides of the throat. As a result, the airway becomes less likely to collapse during sleep, leading to a reduction in snoring and a decrease in the frequency of apneas and hypopneas.
Circumduction refers to the ability of the mandible to move in a circular or semi-circular motion. This movement involves the jaw being able to rotate and shift both horizontally and vertically. In a healthy, non-restricted jaw, circumduction allows the mouth to open, close, and shift sideways, accommodating various functions such as talking, chewing, and even adjusting head position during sleep. For a mandibular advancement device to be effective and comfortable, it's important that it allows for some degree of circumduction of the mandible to ensure that the device does not restrict normal jaw movement during sleep.
Each of the left bite tray assembly 104 and the right bite tray assembly 105 comprises a top bite plate 106, a bottom bite plate 107, a hinge plate 108, a pin 109, and a circumduction anchor rod 601, shown in
The moldable bite insert 1601, is for example, a dental putty, and a dental impression material, used for obtaining imprints of the user's teeth, gums or other structures inside of the user's mouth. The moldable bite inserts 1601 are used in both the top enclosure 106a and the bottom enclosure 107a for a snug fit of the top bite plate 106 around the portion of the upper teeth and the bottom bite plate 107 around the portion of the lower teeth of the user of the MAD 100. After the fit connector 101 is used to align the left and the right bite tray assemblies 104 and 105 in the mouth of the user, the MAD 100 is heated in boiling water and then placed back in the mouth of the user using the fit connector 101. When bitten into by the user, the moldable bite inserts 1601 conform to the teeth of the user that are covered by the top and bottom bite plates 106 and 107. Hence, the fit connector 101 is used for fitting the MAD 100 to the mouth of the user only for the first time for procuring a dental impression simultaneously in each of the moldable bite inserts 1601 in the top bite plates 106 and the bottom bite plates 107 in the left and the right bite tray assemblies 104 and 105 without allowing movement of the MAD 100. The fit connector 101 is then detached from the left and the right bite tray assemblies 104 and 105. The left and the right bite tray assemblies 104 and 105 are then used independently without the fit connector 101 by the user.
The top connector section 106b and the bottom connector section 107b are configured as walls on either of the longer sides of the top bite plate 106 and the bottom bite plate 107 respectively. The top connector section 106b and the bottom connector section 107b that are configured as walls incorporate apertures 111 for detachably attaching the top bite plate 106 and the bottom bite plate 107 respectively to one of the pair of H connectors 102 and for attaching a moldable bite insert 1601 each in the top enclosure 106a of the top bite plate 106 and the bottom enclosure 107a of the bottom bite plate 107. Of the apertures 111, the frontmost apertures 111a, farthest from the hinge pin receptacle 110 are used to attach the left and the right bite tray assemblies 104 and 105 to the H connectors 102. Each of the pair of H connectors 102 has a prong 102d at each of the four terminal points of the vertical strokes of the capital letter H, as shown in
The hinge plate 108 is interposed between the top bite plate 106 and the bottom bite plate 107. The hinge plate 108 facilitates protrusion and retraction of the mandible while maintaining a minimum advancement of the mandible when the MAD 100 is in use. The hinge plate 108 comprises an anchor hinge receptacle 108h, as shown in
The pin 109 is inserted through the first part 106c of the two parts of the hinge pin receptacle 110 in the top bite plate 106 and the second part 108a of the two parts of the hinge pin receptacle 110 in the hinge plate 108 and secures the two components in a detachable manner, as illustrated in
The frontmost apertures 111a, near the bottom bite plate front section 107d, are smaller than the remainder of the apertures 111 and are designed to accommodate the lower two prongs of one of the pair of H connectors 102 disclosed in the detailed description of
The anchor bottom receptacle 107c is a hole designed in the shape of an elliptical cylinder in the bottom enclosure 107a at the bottom bite plate front section 107d for receiving one end of a circumduction anchor rod 601 that connects the bottom bite plate 107 to the hinge plate 108 as disclosed in the detailed description of
The tension prong 108g provides tension when a user of the mandibular advancement device (MAD) 100 opens and closes the mouth for providing a stable fit of the MAD 100 in the mouth. When the MAD 100 is in use, the flexible member 108b, comprising a component each on either side of the length of the hinge plate 108, extends and contracts for protrusion and retraction of the hinge plate 108 when the mouth is opened and closed respectively by the user of the MAD 100.
The maximum contraction of the flexible member 108b is dictated by the dentate member 108c. The dentate member 108c is positioned at the center of the hinge plate 108 between the two components of the flexible member 108b and has three rectangular segments 108d, 108i and 108j with their lengths aligned along the length of the hinge plate 108. Two of the rectangular segments 108i and 108j are attached to a first end 108e of the dentate member 108c that is along the width of the hinge plate 108 with a defined gap between them. The third rectangular segment 108d is attached to a second end 108f of the dentate member 108c opposing the first end 108e and is positioned vertically within the gap between the other two rectangular segments 108i and 108j. When the flexible member 108b contracts, bringing the two opposing ends of the dentate member 108c closer together, the distance to which they can approach one another is limited by the lengths of the rectangular segments 108d, 108i and 108j. As the first end 108e and the second end 108f of the dentate member 108c converge, the third rectangular segment 108d comes into contact with the first end 108e, making contact within the gap between the first two rectangular segments 108i and 108j while the first two rectangular segments 108i and 108j make contact with the second end 108f. Therefore, the dentate member 108c limits the retraction of the hinge plate 108 when the MAD 100 is in use and maintains a minimum advancement of the mandible.
The frontmost apertures 111a, farthest from the first part 106c of the two parts of the hinge pin receptacle 110, are smaller than the remainder of the apertures 111 and are designed to accommodate the upper two prongs 102d of one of the pair of H connectors 102 disclosed in the detailed description of
When the mandibular advancement device (MAD) 100 is assembled, the first part 106c of the two parts of the hinge pin receptacle 110 is positioned in alignment with the second part 108a of the two parts of the hinge pin receptacle 110, where the hinge pin receptacle 110 and the second part 108a are components of the hinge plate 108, as disclosed in the detailed description of
One end of the pin 109 has a head 109a that is larger than the diameter of the hinge pin receptacle 110 through which the pin 109 passes. The opposite end of the pin 109 is designed as a split end 109b that flexes towards a central axis 109c of the pin 109 when pushed through the hinge pin receptacle 110 from one side, but does not return to its original position when pulled once the pin 109 is in place in the hinge pin receptacle 110. To remove the pin 109, the two portions of the split end 109b must be manually pressed toward each other, towards the central axis 109c, allowing the pin 109 to be withdrawn from the hinge pin receptacle 110. Consequently, the pin 109 provides a secure connection between the top bite plate 106 and the hinge plate 108 while also permitting relative rotation between them, facilitating articulation about the pin 109 when the top bite plate 106 and the hinge plate 108 are attached.
The anchor rod bottom section 601a is cuboidal in shape and is inserted into the anchor bottom receptacle 107c of the bottom bite plate 107 to achieve a secure and operable connection between the circumduction anchor rod 601 and the bottom bite plate 107 that allows lateral translation and rotation between them as disclosed in the detailed description of
The engagement pin 103e is a zigzag-shaped locking element that can pulled back away from the opening or entrance 103h of the guide slot 103d using the lock lever 103f, which is connected to the engagement pin 103e, as illustrated in
The tension prong 108g in the hinge plate 108 rests against the top bite plate 106, providing tension in the articulation between the top bite plate 106 and hinge plate 108 during the opening and closing of the mouth of the user of the mandibular advancement device (MAD) 100. The flexible member 108b facilitates protrusion and retraction of the hinge plate 108 when the mouth is opened and closed respectively by the user while the dentate member 108c maintains a minimum advancement of the mandible.
The left bite tray assembly 104 and the right bite tray assembly 105 are each assembled from the top bite plate 106, the hinge plate 108, the bottom bite plate 107, the pin 109, and the neutral embodiment of the circumduction anchor rod 601. The H connectors 102 are then attached to the left bite tray assembly 104 and the right bite tray assembly 105 as disclosed in the detailed description of
With the moldable bite inserts 1601 molded to conform to the portion of the upper teeth and the portion of the lower teeth around which the top bite plate 106 and the bottom bite plate 107 respectively fit, a stable and comfortable fit is ensured for the MAD 100 in the mouth of the user. The fit connector 101 is then detached from the left and the right bite tray assemblies 104 and 105, which are thereafter used independently without the fit connector 101 by the user. The user can adjust the level of mandibular advancement by replacing the neutral embodiment of the circumduction anchor rod 601 with another embodiment of desired length.
While the mandibular advancement device (MAD) 100 is advancing the mandible, the articulation between the top bite plate 106 and the hinge plate 108 facilitates up and down movement of the mandible. The flexible member 108b of the hinge plate 108 facilitates protrusion and retraction of the mandible. These two articulations together mimic the open-protrude and close-retract motion of the mandible. The articulation between the hinge plate 108 and the circumduction anchor rod 601 facilitates side-to-side translation of the mandible and the articulation between the circumduction anchor rod 601 and the bottom bite plate 107 facilitates side-to-side translation and rotation of the mandible. These two articulations together mimic the translation-rotation movement of the mandible. Both the sets of movements together facilitate circumduction of the MAD 100, which mimics the circumduction of the mandible.
In an embodiment of the mandibular advancement device (MAD) 100, the MAD 100 comprises a left and a right mirrored top bite plate 106, a left and a right mirrored bottom bite plate 107, two left and two right mirrored moldable bite inserts, a left and a right mirrored hinge plate, eight circumduction anchor rods 601 comprising a set of two circumduction anchor rods 601 in four different sizes, two pins 109, and a Y connector 103 and two H connectors 102 as part of the fit connector 101. The dimensions of the parts of the embodiment disclosed in paragraphs [0076], [0077], [0078], [0079], [0080], and are exemplary.
The top bite plate 106 has left and right iterations, which have the same measurements, and are mirror versions of each other. The top bite plate 106 is 38.2 mm long with the top bite plate front section 106d measuring 30 mm and the top bite plate back section 106e measuring 8.2 mm. The top enclosure 106a is 2 mm thick in the top bite plate front section 106d and 1 mm thick in the top bite plate back section 106e with the top enclosure shoulder 106f separating the two sections. The top bite plate 106 is 14 mm wide at the top bite plate front section 106d and widens to 17 mm at the top bite plate back section 106e. The top connector section 106b comprises 7 mm tall and 1 mm thick walls on both sides of the top bite plate 106 that run the length of the top bite plate 106. The walls have the apertures 111 with the frontmost apertures 111a being smaller and used for attachment to the H connectors 102. The remaining apertures 111 are made to fit the protrusions of the moldable bite insert.
The bottom bite plate 107 has left and right iterations, which have the same measurements, and are mirror images of each other. The bottom bite plate 107 is 30 mm long and is 14 mm wide at the bottom bite plate front section 107d and widens to 17 mm at the bottom bite plate back section 107e. The bottom enclosure 107a is 3 mm thick at the bottom bite plate front section 107d and 2 mm thick at the bottom bite plate back section 107e with a bottom enclosure shoulder 107f separating the two sections. The bottom bite plate 107 has 7 mm tall and 1 mm thick walls on both sides of the bottom bite plate 107 that run the length of the bottom bite plate 107. The walls have the apertures 111 with the frontmost apertures 111a being smaller and used for attachment to the H connectors 102. The remaining apertures 111 are made to fit the protrusions on the moldable bite insert. The bottom enclosure 107a has the anchor bottom receptacle 107c, with an entry hole smaller than the receptacle itself, at the bottom bite plate front section 107d.
The moldable bite insert has a left and a right iteration configured to fit inside both the top bite plate 106 and the bottom bite plate 107. It is 30 mm long and is 10 mm wide at the front, widening to 13 mm at the back. It has walls that are 5.5 mm tall at the front and 6.5 mm tall at the back. The walls are 3 mm thick and have three pegs, each measuring 2.5 mm in length, 2.5 mm in width, and 1 mm in thickness, along their length. The floor of the moldable bite insert is 2 mm thick at the front and 3 mm thick at the back to adjust to the varied thickness between the front and back sections of the top and bottom bite plate enclosures.
The circumduction anchor rods 601 are eight in number, are of four different sizes, and are to be used in pairs. The anchor rod bottom section 601a, the anchor rod front section 601d, and the anchor rod post 601b are the same for all the sizes with the only difference between the different sized rods being the length of the anchor rod middle section 601c. The neutral embodiment of the circumduction anchor rod 601 has the following measurements. The anchor rod post 601b is 3.5 mm in diameter and 5 mm in height. The anchor rod bottom section 601a is 7 mm long, 3.5 mm wide, and 1.5 mm thick. The top of the anchor rod post 601b bends and forms into a 7.5 mm long, 2.5 mm wide, and 2 mm thick anchor rod middle section 601c. The anchor rod middle section 601c ends in a semicircle of diameter 5.7 mm and thickness 2.5 mm. All the measurements except the length of the anchor rod middle section 601c are the same for the other embodiments of the circumduction anchor rod 601. The lengths of the anchor rod middle section 601c for the other embodiments are 4.5 mm, 7 mm, and 9.5 mm.
The hinge plate 108 has left and right iterations that are mirror images of each other. It is 27 mm long and 12 mm wide. It has a front and a back section. The back section measures 6.25 mm in length, 8 mm in width, and 5 mm in height, and houses a 3 mm diameter hole for the second part 108a of the two parts of the hinge pin receptacle 110 through which the pin 109 is inserted. The front section measures 19 mm in length, 12 mm in width, and 5 mm in height. It houses the flexible member 108b, which extends under tension and shortens under compression. Moreover, it houses the dentate member 108c, which both resist torsional forces and limit the amount of retraction of the hinge plate 108 under compression so that mandibular advancement is always achieved even under a high compressive force. The front section of the hinge plate 108 also houses the tension prong 108g, which measures 7 mm in length, 1.5 mm in width, and 1.5 mm in thickness. The tension prong 108g provides slight passive opening pressure to help with the fit of the mandibular advancement device (MAD) 100 while in use. The front of the front section has the anchor hinge receptacle 108h, which is meant to articulate with the anchor rod front section 601d. The anchor hinge receptacle 108h has an opening that is smaller than the receptacle itself.
The pin 109 has a length of 15.5 mm with a main shaft of 2.8 mm diameter. The head 109a has a diameter of 3.8 mm and the split end 109b has a diameter of 3.2 mm.
The Y connector 103 is shaped as the capital letter Y and has guide slots 103d at the end of its arms 103a and 103b to attach the H connectors 102. The connection permits the sliding of the H connectors 102 along the guide slot 103d while firmly holding the H connectors 102 in place at a chosen position. The Y connector 103 also comprises the stem 103c.
The H connectors 102 are each shaped as the capital letter H and have a prong 102d each at the four terminal points of the vertical strokes 102a to attach to the top and the bottom bite plates. The crossbar 102e with the zigzag track 102b can be slid along the guide slot 103d in each arm 103a and 103b of the Y connector 103.
The foregoing examples have been provided merely for explanation and are in no way to be construed as limiting of the mandibular advancement device (MAD) 100 disclosed herein. While the MAD 100 has been described with reference to various embodiments, it is understood that the words, which have been used herein, are words of description and illustration, rather than words of limitation. Furthermore, although the MAD 100 has been described herein with reference to particular means, materials, and embodiments, the MAD 100 is not intended to be limited to the particulars disclosed herein; rather, the MAD 100 extends to all functionally equivalent structures, methods and uses, such as are within the scope of the appended claims. While multiple embodiments are disclosed, it will be understood by those skilled in the art, having the benefit of the teachings of this specification, that the MAD 100 disclosed herein are capable of modifications and other embodiments may be effected and changes may be made thereto, without departing from the scope and spirit of the MAD 100 disclosed herein.
This application claims priority to and the benefit of the provisional patent application titled “Mandibular Advancement Device”, application No. 63/608,314, filed in the United States Patent and Trademark Office on Dec. 11, 2023. The specification of the above referenced patent application is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63608314 | Dec 2023 | US |
