Protective oral appliance

Abstract

A protective oral appliance for protecting the teeth and jaws of a user from injuries during physical activity or sports. The oral appliance includes an upper mouthpiece coupled to a lower mouthpiece, and holes passing through the upper mouthpiece and/or through the lower mouthpiece to allow air to pass through the upper and/or lower mouthpieces and into the user's mouth. The oral appliance also may include an open airway positioned between the upper and lower mouthpieces.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A protective oral appliance comprising:
 a first U-shaped channel adapted to engage a user's upper teeth when worn and having a first inner facing wall, a first outer facing wall, and a first bottom connecting the first inner facing wall and the first outer facing wall, and a second U-shaped channel adapted to simultaneously engage the user's lower teeth when worn and having a second inner facing wall, a second outer facing wall, and a second bottom connecting the second inner facing wall and the second outer facing wall; and   at least one hole passing through the first inner facing wall, the first outer facing wall, the first bottom, the second inner facing wall, the second outer facing wall, and/or the second bottom;   wherein the at least one hole is adapted to allow air to pass through the at least one hole and into the user's mouth.   
     
     
         2 . The protective oral appliance of  claim 1  wherein the first U-shaped channel is coupled to the second U-shaped channel. 
     
     
         3 . The protective oral appliance of  claim 2  further comprising an open airway between the first U-shaped channel and the second U-shaped channel. 
     
     
         4 . The protective oral appliance of  claim 3  wherein the open airway includes at least one support column extending from an upper side of the open airway to a lower side of the open airway. 
     
     
         5 . The protective oral appliance of  claim 1  wherein the at least one hole is about 1 mm-2 mm wide. 
     
     
         6 . The protective oral appliance of  claim 1  further comprising a bite tab configured to engage at least one tooth of the user's upper teeth and at least one tooth of the user's lower teeth when worn. 
     
     
         7 . The protective oral appliance of  claim 1  wherein the first U-shaped channel and the second U-shaped channel are formed using at least one of polyethylene-polyvinyl acetate copolymer (EVA), silicone, carbon fiber, and nanofiber. 
     
     
         8 . An oral device for protecting a user from injuries, comprising:
 a U-shaped base composed of resin callout having a U-shaped cross-section comprising a lower, a horizontal floor with upwardly extending inner lingual and outer labial walls, and a posterior section proximate to the user's molar,   wherein the oral device includes a plurality of irrigation channels in the form of holes for increased uptake of oxygen while wearing the oral device,   a continuous ridge composed of the resin callout having the U-shaped base and integral with the base,   wherein the ridge comprises an outer horizontal portion disposed on the exterior surface of the outer labial wall of the anterior section and terminating in opposite inner horizontal portions disposed on the interior surface of the horizontal floor of the posterior section.