Automated tissue retention system

Abstract

An automated tissue retention system generally comprises an oral appliance retractably coupled to a covering which is secured to an anterior portion of the tongue. Once placed within a subject's mouth, the appliance may be maintained in a closed configuration while the subject's mouth remains closed. However, as the subject sleeps and the tongue becomes hypotonic, the subject's month typically opens during a sleep disordered event. The appliance may be actuated by the separation between the mandible and maxilla to have greater tension and thus retract or pull anteriorly the covering adhered to the tongue. As the covering pulls the tongue anteriorly or maintains a position of the tongue, the base of the tongue may be inhibited or prevented from collapsing posteriorly against the phryngeal tissue walls and thereby allow the subject to breathe normally.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus for treating a sleep disordered event, comprising:
 an oral appliance sized to be positioned within a mouth of a subject;   a covering which is securable in an atraumatic manner to at least a portion of a tongue;   a connecting member coupled between the covering and the oral appliance, and   wherein opening of the mouth by the subject applies tension to the connecting member whereby the covering is retracted from a posterior position to an anterior position relative to the appliance.   
     
     
         2 . A method of treating a sleep disordered event, comprising:
 positioning an oral appliance within a mouth of a subject;   securing a covering in an atraumatic manner to at least a portion of a tongue;   tensioning a connecting member coupled between the covering and the oral appliance as the mouth of the subject is opened; and   retracting the covering from a posterior position to an anterior position relative to the appliance.   
     
     
         3 . A method of treating a sleep disordered event, comprising:
 positioning an appliance extra-orally such that a protruding member is positioned in proximity to a mouth of a subject;   securing a covering in an atraumatic manner to at least a portion of a tongue;   tensioning a connecting member coupled between the covering and the appliance as the mouth of the subject is opened; and   retracting the covering from a posterior position to an anterior position relative to the appliance.