Stabilizing mouthpiece with lateral shift guards

Abstract

A stabilizing mouthpiece includes features that reduce or prevent displacement of the mouthpiece either laterally or forward and backward when the mouthpiece is in use. In one implementation, the stabilizing mouthpiece may include one or more lateral shift guards that rest adjacent to inner or outer surfaces of a user's molars, incisors, or cuspids. In another implementation, the stabilizing mouthpiece may include elongated ridges or biased grips that resist posterior-to-anterior movement of the mouthpiece.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A mouthpiece comprising:
 a u-shaped baseplate;   at least one lateral shift guard protruding from an edge of the u-shaped baseplate proximal to an end of the u-shaped baseplate, the lateral shift guard having a total longitudinal length that is less that a distance between a most anterior point and a most posterior point on the u-shaped baseplate.   
     
     
         2 . The mouthpiece of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one lateral shift guard further comprises:
 an inner lateral shift guard proximal to an end of u-shaped baseplate and protruding from an inside edge of the u-shaped baseplate; and   an outer lateral shift guard to another end of the u-shaped baseplate and protruding from an outside edge of the u-shaped baseplate.   
     
     
         3 . The mouthpiece of  claim 2 , wherein the outer lateral shift guard rests adjacent to the outside of a lower molar when the mouthpiece is in use. 
     
     
         4 . The mouthpiece of  claim 2 , wherein the inner lateral shift guard rests adjacent to the inside of a lower molar when the mouthpiece is in use. 
     
     
         5 . The mouthpiece of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 at least one set of grips on a surface of the u-shaped baseplate, the grips positioned between the inner lateral shift guard and the outer lateral shift guard.   
     
     
         6 . The mouthpiece of  claim 2 , wherein the inner lateral shift guard and the outer lateral shift guard are adjacent to opposite sides of at least one lower molar when the mouthpiece is in use. 
     
     
         7 . The mouthpiece of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one lateral shift guard further comprises:
 two inner lateral shift guards protruding from an inside edge of the u-shaped baseplate, each of the two inner lateral shift guards proximal to an opposite end of the u-shaped baseplate; and   two outer lateral shift guards protruding from an outside edge of the u-shaped baseplate, each of the two outer lateral shift guards proximal to an opposite end of the u-shaped baseplate.   
     
     
         8 . The mouthpiece of  claim 7 , wherein each of the inner and outer lateral shift guards have a total longitudinal length that is less that a distance between a most anterior point and a most posterior point on the u-shaped baseplate. 
     
     
         9 . The mouthpiece of  claim 2 , wherein the inner and outer shift guards are substantially orthogonal to the u-shaped baseplate. 
     
     
         10 . The mouthpiece of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an inner wall and an outer wall adjacent to opposite sides of the u-shaped baseplate, forming a u-shaped channel.   
     
     
         11 . The mouthpiece of  claim 1 , wherein the u-shaped baseplate has a u-shaped surface that is in a same plane as inner and outer edges of the u-shaped baseplate. 
     
     
         12 . A mouthpiece comprising:
 a u-shaped baseplate;   two inner lateral shift guards axially aligned with and protruding from an inner edge of the u-shaped baseplate, each of the two inner lateral shift guards positioned proximal to opposite ends of the u-shaped channel;   two outer lateral shift guards axially aligned with and protruding from an outer edge of the u-shaped baseplate, each of the two outer lateral shift guards positioned proximal to opposite ends of the u-shaped channel.   
     
     
         13 . The mouthpiece of  claim 12 , wherein each of the inner and outer lateral shift guards has a total longitudinal length that is less that a distance between a most anterior point and a most posterior point on the u-shaped baseplate. 
     
     
         14 . The mouthpiece of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 an inner wall and an outer wall adjacent to opposite sides of the u-shaped baseplate, forming a u-shaped channel.   
     
     
         15 . The mouthpiece of  claim 12 , wherein the u-shaped baseplate has a u-shaped surface that is in a same plane as inner and outer edges of the u-shaped baseplate. 
     
     
         16 . The mouthpiece of  claim 14 , wherein the two inner lateral shift guards and the two outer lateral shift guards each protrude from a surface of the base opposite the u-shaped channel. 
     
     
         17 . A method comprising:
 aligning a u-shaped baseplate of a mouthpiece with upper teeth of a user, the mouthpiece including at least one lateral shift guard protruding from an edge of the u-shaped baseplate and proximal to an end of the u-shaped baseplate, the lateral shift guard having a total longitudinal length that is less that a distance between a most anterior point and a most posterior point on the u-shaped baseplate;   biting down on the mouthpiece to cause the lateral shift guard to rest adjacent to a lower tooth in a user's mouth.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the at least one lateral shift guard further comprises:
 an inner lateral shift guard proximal to an end of the u-shaped baseplate and protruding from an inside edge of the u-shaped baseplate; and   an outer lateral shift guard proximal to the end of the u-shaped baseplate and protruding from an outside edge of the u-shaped baseplate.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 an inner wall and an outer wall adjacent to opposite sides of the u-shaped baseplate, forming a u-shaped channel.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the u-shaped baseplate has a u-shaped surface that is in a same plane as inner and outer edges of the u-shaped baseplate.