System and Method for Treatment of Upper Airway Disorders

Abstract

The present invention provides a system for treating a mammalian patient having obstructive sleep disordered breathing, e.g., sleep apnea. The system has a set of appliances including a first appliance being adapted to displace a mandible of the patient by a first predetermined geometry relative to a maxilla of the patient. The set also includes at least a second appliance adapted to displace the mandible of the patient by a second predetermined geometry relative to the maxilla of the patient. In a specific embodiment, the first predetermined geometry is substantially different from the second predetermined geometry. Preferably, either one of the first appliance or at least the second appliance is worn by the patient based upon a predetermined treatment plan that includes one or more provisions for wearing at least the first and the second appliances.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for treating a patient having obstructive sleep disordered breathing, the system comprising:
 a set of appliances comprising:
 a first appliance being adapted to displace a mandible of the patient by a first predetermined geometry relative to a maxilla of the patient; 
 at least a second appliance being adapted to displace the mandible of the patient by a second predetermined geometry relative to the maxilla of the patient; 
 whereupon the first predetermined geometry is substantially different from the second predetermined geometry; 
   whereupon either one of the first appliance or at least the second appliance is worn by the patient based upon a predetermined treatment plan that includes one or more provisions for wearing at least the first and the second appliances.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the set of appliances further comprises one or more additional appliances, each of the appliances in the set being adapted to displace the mandible of the patient by a predetermined geometry relative to the maxilla of the patient, where the predetermined geometry for each appliance in the set of appliances is different from the predetermined geometries of the other appliances in the set of appliances. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the treatment plan is readable. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the obstructive sleep disordered breathing is obstructive sleep apnea. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the set of appliances is packed in a single enclosure to encase at least the first appliance and the second appliance for transmission to the patient. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a first indicator coupled to the first appliance; 
 a second indicator coupled to the second appliance; 
 whereupon the first indicator and the second indicator provide a respective first visual feature and a second visual feature to allow the patient to visually distinguish the first appliance from the second appliance. 
 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6  wherein the first indicator and the second indicator are each composed of 4 or fewer substantially contiguous alphanumeric characters at least 3 mm in height. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the first and second appliance are tailored to the patient's dentition. 
     
     
         9 . A method for treating a patient having obstructive sleep disordered breathing, the method comprising:
 selecting one of a plurality of appliances from a set of appliances, the set of appliances being adapted to displace a mandible of the patient by a plurality of predetermined geometries relative to a maxilla of the patient, the set of appliances comprising a first appliance being adapted to displace the mandible by a first predetermined geometry relative to the maxilla, at least a second appliance adapted to displace the mandible by a second predetermined geometry relative to the maxilla, and the first predetermined geometry is substantially different from the second predetermined geometry;   inserting the selected appliance from the set of appliances into an oral cavity of the patient;   maintaining the selected appliance in the oral cavity during a first time period associated with a first period of sleep; and   repeating the selecting, inserting, and maintaining during a second time period associated with a second period of sleep for either the first appliance or the second appliance based upon if the first appliance or the second appliance was previously selected, inserted, and maintained; and   a predetermined treatment plan that includes one or more provisions for wearing at least the first and the second appliances.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9  wherein the treatment plan is readable. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9  wherein the repeating of the selecting, inserting, and maintaining depends on an assessment of the discomfort experienced by the patient in maintaining the selected appliance. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9  wherein the repeating of the selecting, inserting, and maintaining depends on an assessment of the breathing of the patient during at least the first time period. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12  wherein the time between the inserting and the repeating of the selecting, inserting, and maintaining is less than 48 hours; the selecting selects the first appliance; and the repeating of the selecting, inserting, and maintaining selects the second appliance. 
     
     
         14 . A method for fabricating a set of appliances for treating a patient having obstructive sleep disordered breathing, the method comprising:
 obtaining information associated with a mechanical description of the patient's oral cavity;   manufacturing, based on the information associated with the mechanical description, a set of appliances being adapted to displace a mandible of the patient by a plurality of predetermined geometries relative to a maxilla of the patient, the set of appliances comprising a first appliance being adapted to displace the mandible by a first predetermined geometry relative to the maxilla, at least a second appliance adapted to displace the mandible by a second predetermined geometry relative to the maxilla, and the first predetermined geometry is substantially different from the second predetermined geometry;   packaging the set of appliances; and   transmitting the set of appliances including the first appliance and at least the second appliance to the patient.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14  wherein manufacturing of the first appliance and manufacturing of at least the second appliance occur within 48 hours of each other. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14  wherein no additional information associated with the mechanical description of the patient's oral cavity is obtained between the manufacturing of the first appliance and the manufacturing of at least the second appliance. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14  wherein the set of appliances is packaged within a single enclosure. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the information associated with a mechanical description of the patient's oral cavity is obtained at a first location where the manufacturing is not performed, and is sent to at least a second location where the manufacturing is performed. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18  wherein the sending occurs electronically. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18  wherein no additional information associated with the mechanical description of the patient's oral cavity is sent between the manufacturing of the first appliance and the manufacturing of at least the second appliance.