Protective mouthguard

Abstract

The present disclosure describes a polymer mouthguard for protecting the teeth of a wearer. The mouthguard includes a lingual portion, a facial portion, and an occlusal portion connected with one another in the shape of an arch and together defining a trough for receiving the upper (maxillary) or lower (mandibular) teeth of a wearer. At least one, or both, of the facial portion and the occlusal portion have a shock absorbing lattice formed therein. The mouthguard can be produced as a single object by the process of additive manufacturing (e.g., stereolithography).

We claim: 
     
         1 . A polymer mouthguard for protecting the teeth of a wearer, comprising:
 a lingual portion, a facial portion, and an occlusal portion connected with one another in the shape of an arch and together defining a trough for receiving the upper (maxillary) or lower (mandibular) teeth of a wearer;   wherein at least one, or both, of said facial portion and said occlusal portion have a shock absorbing lattice formed therein.   
     
     
         2 . The mouthguard of  claim 1 , wherein said lingual portion has a smooth comfort surface formed thereon. 
     
     
         3 . The mouthguard of  claim 1 , wherein said mouthguard is produced as a single object by the process of additive manufacturing. 
     
     
         4 . The mouthguard of  claim 1 , wherein each said shock absorbing lattice comprises repeating unit cells. 
     
     
         5 . The mouthguard of  claim 1 , wherein both said facial portion and said occlusal portion have a shock-absorbing lattice formed therein. 
     
     
         6 . The mouthguard of  claim 1 , wherein said shock-absorbing lattice of said facial portion, and/or said shock absorbing lattice of said occlusal portion, comprises a conformal lattice. 
     
     
         7 . The mouthguard of  claim 1 , wherein said mouthguard includes edge and corner portions, wherein at least some, or all, of said edge and corner portions are radiused. 
     
     
         8 . The mouthguard of  claim 1 , wherein said shock absorbing lattice of said facial portion and said shock absorbing lattice of said occlusal portion differ from one another, to thereby impart different shock-absorbing properties to said occlusal portion and said facial portion. 
     
     
         9 . The mouthguard of  claim 1 , wherein said shock absorbing lattice of said facial portion has a stiffness gradient formed therein. 
     
     
         10 . The mouthguard of  claim 1 , wherein said shock absorbing lattice of said facial portion, and/or said shock absorbing lattice of said occlusal portion, comprise at least two different energy attenuation regions. 
     
     
         11 . The mouthguard of  claim 1 , wherein said shock absorbing lattice of said facial portion, and/or said shock absorbing lattice of said occlusal portion, are configured to promote the flow of air therethrough during breathing by the wearer. 
     
     
         12 . The mouthguard of  claim 1 , wherein said shock absorbing lattice of said facial portion, and/or said shock absorbing lattice of said occlusal portion, are configured to promote the drainage of saliva therethrough by a wearer. 
     
     
         13 . The mouthguard of  claim 1 , wherein said lingual portion, facial portion, and occlusal portion further define an opposite trough for receiving the opposite (maxillary or mandibular) teeth of a wearer. 
     
     
         14 . The mouthguard of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of said facial portion and said lingual portion includes a conforming lattice facing said upper and/or lower trough, the conforming lattice configured to aid in fitting said mouthguard to an individual wearer, and/or to aid in retaining the mouthguard on the dental arch of the wearer during a sport or athletic activity. 
     
     
         15 . The mouthguard of  claim 1 , wherein said mouthguard consists essentially of a flexible or elastic polymer. 
     
     
         16 . A computer-implemented method of making a mouthguard of  claim 1 , comprising the steps of:
 inputting into a computer a dental arch data file, the data file produced by the process of scanning at least one, or both, dental arches of the intended wearer;   generating in the computer a mouthguard data file from said dental arch data file; and then additively manufacturing the mouthguard from said data file.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 inputting user preference data for the intended wearer into the computer, and then   modifying said generating step and/or said additively manufacturing step based on said user preference data.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein said user preference data comprises at least one, two, or three different mouthguard characteristics. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein said different mouthguard characteristics are selected from: stiffness, weight, impact absorption, ease of air flow (breathability), degree of saliva drainage, surface texture, size, and/or mouthguard color. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein said user preference data comprises at least two different characteristics, wherein said characteristics are prioritized, and wherein said modifying and/or generating steps are carried out based on said prioritized characteristics, with a characteristic having a lesser priority being de-emphasized or deleted during said modifying and/or generating steps when they are incompatible with a characteristic having a greater priority.