Mouthguard

Abstract

The invention involves a mouthguard to optimize breathing while providing protection from physical blows. A mouthguard can include a plurality of conduits running substantially anterior-to-posterior therethrough.

1 . A mouthguard comprising:
 an arch-shaped upper channel adapted to receive a user's maxillary teeth, said upper channel comprising upward facing walls disposed along the buccal and lingual surfaces of the user's maxillary teeth;   an arch-shaped lower channel adapted to receive a user's mandibular teeth, said lower channel comprising downward facing walls disposed along the buccal and lingual surfaces of the user's mandibular teeth; and   a connecting portion disposed along the interface between said upper channel and said lower channel, said connecting portion comprising a plurality of hollow, tubular conduits running substantially anterior-to-posterior therethrough, said conduits having a median cross-sectional area between 0.1 and 4 cm 2 .   
     
     
         2 . The mouthguard of  claim 1 , wherein the median cross-sectional area is between 0.5 and 3 cm 2 . 
     
     
         3 . (canceled) 
     
     
         4 . The mouthguard of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of hollow, tubular conduits running substantially radially outward therethrough. 
     
     
         5 . The mouthguard of  claim 1 , wherein the anterior surface comprises air conduits at a density of at least 2 per square inch, said conduits comprising between 25% and 80% of the total composite anterior surface area. 
     
     
         6 . The mouthguard  claim 1 , wherein the upper channel has a greater stiffness along the superior-inferior axis than the connecting portion, and the lower channel has a greater stiffness along the superior-inferior axis than the connecting portion. 
     
     
         7 . The mouthguard of  claim 1 , wherein the stiffness increases with increasing compressive strain along the superior-inferior axis. 
     
     
         8 . The mouthguard of  claim 1 , wherein the maximum impact force along the superior-inferior axis is reduced by at least 50% relative to the maximum impact force of an input pulse. 
     
     
         9 . The mouthguard of  claim 1 , wherein the connecting portion is a resilient polymer with an ASTM D2240 type A hardness no greater than 90 or a modulus of no greater than 500 MPa. 
     
     
         10 - 12 . (canceled) 
     
     
         13 . The mouthguard of  claim 1 , wherein the upper channel and the lower channel are a thermoplastic polymer that softens when heated to between about 100 and 300 degrees Fahrenheit and stiffens when cooled. 
     
     
         14 . (canceled) 
     
     
         15 . The mouthguard of  claim 1 , wherein one or more cross sections of the air conduits are round, oval, or polygonal in shape. 
     
     
         16 - 18 . (canceled) 
     
     
         19 . The mouthguard of  claim 1 , wherein the connecting portion can be compressed by a user's application of bite force along the superior-inferior axis to seal the air conduits to facilitate swallowing. 
     
     
         20 - 21 . (canceled) 
     
     
         22 . The mouthguard of  claim 1 , wherein the buccal walls of the upper and lower channels widen the lateral span of a user's lips by at least 10% relative to said user's at-rest state, said widening operative to expose one or more lateral air conduits to the exterior air. 
     
     
         23 - 24 . (canceled) 
     
     
         25 . A mouthguard comprising:
 an arch-shaped upper channel adapted to receive a user's maxillary teeth, said upper channel comprising upward facing walls disposed along the buccal and lingual surfaces of the user's maxillary teeth;   a first lower channel adapted to receive a user's left mandibular molars, said first lower channel comprising downward facing walls disposed along the buccal and lingual surfaces of the user's left mandibular molars;   a second lower channel adapted to receive a user's right mandibular molars, said first lower channel comprising downward facing walls disposed along the buccal and lingual surfaces of the user's right mandibular molars;   a first connecting portion disposed along the interface between the upper channel and the first lower channel; and   a second connecting portion disposed along the interface between the upper channel and the second lower channel;   wherein a compressive stress exerted on the mouthguard along a superior-inferior axis is not directly transmitted to a user's mandibular incisors.   
     
     
         26 . The mouthguard of  claim 25 , wherein the mouthguard does not contact the user's mandibular incisors during an at-rest state. 
     
     
         27 . The mouthguard of  claim 25 , wherein the connecting portion is further disposed along the underside of the upper channel and connects the first lower channel with the second lower channel. 
     
     
         28 . The mouthguard of  claim 25 , wherein the stiffness increases with increasing compressive strain along the superior-inferior axis. 
     
     
         29 . The mouthguard of  claim 25 , wherein the impact force along the superior-inferior axis is reduced by no less than 50% relative to an input pulse. 
     
     
         30 . The mouthguard of  claim 25 , wherein the connecting portion is a resilient polymer with an ASTM D2240 type A hardness no greater than 90 or a modulus of no greater than 500 MPa. 
     
     
         31 - 33 . (canceled) 
     
     
         34 . The mouthguard of  claim 25 , wherein the upper channel and the lower channels are a thermoplastic polymer that softens when heated to between about 100 and 300 degrees Fahrenheit and stiffens when cooled. 
     
     
         35 . The mouthguard of  claim 1 , wherein the mouthguard is conformed to provide realignment of an upper jaw, a lower jaw, and temporomandibular joint of the user, said realignment operative to reduce an impact force transmitted from the lower jaw into the upper jaw.