Mouthguard

Abstract

A mouthguard includes a pair of spaced lateral bite wings and a channel. Each lateral bite wing includes an upper dental occlusal surface, a lower dental occlusal surface, a front portion, and a rear portion. The channel is positioned between the front portions of the lateral bite wings and includes a front end, a rear end, an upper wall and a lower wall. A support portion extends from the front end to the rear end to form a pair of airways within the channel. The support portion ensures that the upper wall and lower wall are sufficiently supported under the user's biting force to prevent deformation and narrowing of the airways, thereby ensuring unobstructed breathing for the user.

1 . A mouthguard comprising:
 a pair of spaced lateral bite wings, each lateral bite wing having an upper dental occlusal surface, a lower dental occlusal surface, a front portion, and a rear portion; and   a channel positioned between the front portions of the pair of lateral bite wings and having a front end, a rear end, an upper wall, a lower wall, and a support portion, wherein the support portion extends from the front end to the rear end to form a pair of airways extending from the front end to the rear end within the channel, and wherein each airway has a front opening at the front end and a rear opening at the rear end.   
     
     
         2 . The mouthguard of  claim 1 , wherein the support portion includes a pair of support walls connected to each other and symmetrical, and wherein each support wall extends from the front end to the rear end and connects the upper wall and lower wall. 
     
     
         3 . The mouthguard of  claim 2 , wherein each support wall is arc-shaped. 
     
     
         4 . The mouthguard of  claim 2 , wherein the pair of support walls are axially symmetric with an X-shaped cross-section. 
     
     
         5 . The mouthguard of  claim 2 , wherein the support portion forms an upper support groove between the pair of support walls and the upper wall, and a lower support groove between the pair of support walls and the lower wall, and wherein the upper support groove and the lower support groove are open at the front end and closed at the rear end. 
     
     
         6 . The mouthguard of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a front lip guard positioned at the front end of the channel and extending outward, wherein the front lip guard includes a rear surface configured to face the user's lips during use.   
     
     
         7 . The mouthguard of  claim 1 , wherein the channel tapers inward from the front end to the rear end, causing a distance between the upper wall and lower wall at the front end to be greater than that at the rear end. 
     
     
         8 . The mouthguard of  claim 1 , wherein a cross-sectional area of the front opening of each airway is larger than that of the rear opening. 
     
     
         9 . The mouthguard of  claim 1 , wherein the upper wall defines an upper incisor occlusal surface, wherein the lower wall defines a lower incisor occlusal surface, and wherein both the upper incisor occlusal surface and the lower incisor occlusal surface are near the rear end. 
     
     
         10 . The mouthguard of  claim 9 , wherein the channel includes an outer barrier wall on the upper wall and an inner barrier wall on the lower wall, wherein the outer barrier wall extends from the front portion of one lateral bite wing to the other, and wherein the inner barrier wall is near the rear end and extends from an inner edge of one lateral bite wing to the inner edge of the other.