Patent ID: 9616314
Date: 2017-04-11
CPC Classifications: A61C,A63B

Claim:
1. A method of using a dental appliance, comprising: providing a sheet of thermopolymer material in a first planar state having a first planar side, a second planar side, a first front flap, a second front flap, a first outer side flap and a second outer side flap, a first inner side flap and a second inner side flap and an arch-shaped bite line between said front flaps and outer side flaps and said inner side flaps; locating crowns of dentitions in contact with said arch-shaped bite line; molding said front flaps and said outer side flaps into a second nonplanar state so that said front flaps and said outer side flaps are adjacent outer surfaces of dentitions and so that said inner side flaps are adjacent inner surfaces of dentitions; and locating a movable shear thickening fluid comprised of a suspension of nanoparticles inside a polymer matrix within at least one pocket fixed and entirely encased within at least one of said front flaps or said side flaps, said pocket comprised of a channel in fluid communication with at least one reservoir; dissipating a force applied to said front flaps or side flaps by absorbing said force via a stiffening of said moveable shear thickening fluid in said channel upon receipt of said force; and relaxing said stiffened moveable shear thickening fluid after said force is dissipated to return said moveable shear thickening fluid to a non-shear thickened state.