Patent Description:
A mandibular advancement device of the type referred to in this specification is already disclosed in <CIT>, which discloses the preamble of claim <NUM>, and <CIT>. The mandibular advancement device disclosed has both intraoral and extraoral portions. The present invention is mainly concerned with the intraoral portion of the device.

Due to wide variations in the size and shape of the oral cavity of users of these kinds of devices, and to keep manufacturing costs low, these devices are typically manufactured in three broad sizes, such as small, medium and large. However, there is a need for further adjustment within each of these broad sizes to maximise comfort and fit for each particular user, and also to maximise the effectiveness of the device.

One of the main problems surrounding the fit and comfort of the device is getting the engagement of the posterior maxillary abutment surfaces of each of the respective arms of the intraoral portion of the device in the correct position that conforms with the wearer's posterior maxillary characteristics. The posterior maxillary abutment surfaces are meant to loosely engage with the molars or premolars of the wearer and to resist any lateral movement of the device inside the oral cavity of the wearer. It is important that the device does not impose sufficient lateral force to the wearer's teeth so that tooth displacement may occur over time. Also, the imposition of unnecessary force will significantly negatively impact the wearer's comfort when wearing the device and may reduce the device's use and performance.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide adjustment means for the intraoral portion of a mandibular advancement device that at least mitigates some of the aforementioned problems.

<CIT> discloses a method of monitoring the status of a body of a person during sleep, said method comprising: retaining in or adjacent the mouth or nose of said person an electronic detector which detects indications of the state of said body, wirelessly transmitting a first data stream representing said indications to a data receiving means, transmitting said first data stream from said data receiving means to a data processing means, processing said first data stream within said data processing means to produce a second data stream representing said indications, or conclusion drawn from said indications, and displaying a visual representation of said indications or conclusions.

According to a first aspect, the present invention provides a mandibular adjustment device according to claim <NUM>.

Preferably, the lower plate includes a threaded hole on each side, adjacent a respective arm, so that the threaded hole extends from the respective arm towards the edge of the plate. Each hole is adapted to receive a screw that is able to be screwed into the threaded hole, and when the screw has been sufficiently screwed, the inner end of the screw contacts its respective arm whereupon further turning of the screw forces the arm to move relative to its opposite arm so that the position of the moved arm's posterior intraoral maxillary abutment surface is moved to a new position.

Preferably, each threaded hole in the bottom plate is recessed back from the outer edge and the opening of the threaded hole is respectively located within a vertical slot.

Preferably, the upper plate is adapted to overlay the bottom plate and join together with the bottom plate to form the body portion and encapsulate a portion of each of the arms within the body portion. The upper plate includes side tabs that extend substantially vertically down and are aligned with and adapted to be inserted into, and conform with the shape of, the vertical slot, thereby overlaying the entrance to the threaded hole and screw and forming a body portion with a substantially smooth outer surface.

Preferably, each side tab includes an aperture that is positioned so that it aligns with, and is concentric with, the threaded hole and the screw.

Preferably, each aperture is sized so that an adjustment tool, such as a screw driver or an Allen key is insertable, and is thereby able to engage with and act upon the screw, but is too small to enable the screw to be withdrawn through the aperture, thereby making the tab act as an abutment that prevents the screw from falling out of the body portion.

According to a second embodiment, the adjustment means are either electromechanical, or magnetic, thereby removing the need for an aperture on either the top or bottom plate, allowing the body to have a substantially continuous surface, allowing easier and more effective cleaning and sterilisation.

Preferably, each arm is integrally formed in either the top or bottom plate and fabricated out of a suitable elastomeric material.

Preferably, each arm is naturally biased with respect to the other with a maximum spread that the arms naturally rest at when not acted on by an external force, such as the impingement of the screw as it is operated on by the adjustment tool.

According to a third embodiment of the present invention, each arm is fabricated separately to either the top or bottom plate, and either the top or bottom plate includes a post portion that is profiled to resist rotation around the post, and the anterior end of each arm includes a hole that has a complimentary shape with, and is adapted to receive, the post portion within said hole, and this position is the natural rest position for each arm when the arm is not acted upon by an external force, such as the impingement of the screw as it is operated on by the adjustment tool.

According to a fourth embodiment of the present invention, each arm is fabricated separately to either the top plate or the bottom plate, and either the top plate or bottom plate includes a post portion with a circular profile, and the anterior end of each arm includes a hole that is adapted to receive the post portion and allow the arm to freely rotate about its respective post portion, and the body portion includes separate biasing means that act upon each respective arm and hold them at their maximum spread position when each arm is not acted upon by an external force, such as the impingement of the screw as it is operated on by the adjustment tool.

According to a fifth embodiment of the present invention the biasing means is a coil spring.

According to a sixth embodiment of the present invention, the biasing means is a leaf spring.

According to a seventh embodiment of the present invention, the biasing means is an elastomeric tab that is included in either the top plate or the bottom plate, and each said elastomeric tab is adapted to impinge against a respective arm.

Preferably, either the top or bottom plate includes an aperture, or window, that is associated with measurement increment indicators, and said measurement increments indicate the current position of each arm as an arm is forced to a new position under the influence of the grub screw.

Optionally, the body portion includes electronic sensor means that are adapted to sense the current position of each arm and feed that position data to wireless transmission means such as a Bluetooth transmitter.

Preferably, the data transmitted by the wireless transmission means are processed by an app on a portable computing device, such as a smart phone or tablet.

In another aspect, the present invention is a method of adjusting a mandibular advancement device in order to improve the fit and comfort of the wearer of said device, the method including the steps of:.

Preferably, the method further includes the step of using the aperture, or window, and its associated measurement increment indicators to take note of the most comfortable setting for the particular wearer.

Optionally, the method further including the step of using the sensor means and wireless transmission means to transmit the position of each arm in an app on a portable computing device, such as a smart phone, and using the app to associate the optimal position of each arm to the wearer.

Examples of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:.

Turning firstly to <FIG>, where we are shown an isometric view of the top of the bottom plate <NUM>. The bottom plate <NUM> is a part of the body portion of the intraoral portion of a mandibular advancement device. The bottom plate <NUM> includes a pair of arms <NUM> and <NUM>' respectively. Each of the arms <NUM> and <NUM>' recede into the wearer's oral cavity. In this preferred embodiment, each arm is integrally formed in the bottom plate at <NUM> and <NUM>' respectively. Each of the arms <NUM> and <NUM>' are fabricated from a suitably resilient material that will elastically yield under the influence of an external force. Each arm rests at its maximum spread position with respect to its opposite arm, when not acted upon by an external force.

Adjacent to each arm is a threaded hole <NUM> and <NUM>' respectively. Each hole is reset back from the edge of the bottom plate <NUM> and each is substantially centrally located in a respective slot <NUM> and <NUM>'. Each threaded hole <NUM> and <NUM>' is open at its innermost end.

Each arm <NUM> and <NUM>' respectively also has a gap <NUM> and <NUM>' into which each arm is able to move when acted upon by an external force in order to bring the arms closer together.

Turning to <FIG>, we are shown that a pair of grub screws <NUM> and <NUM>' are adapted to be screwed into each respective threaded hole. When a tool such as a screw driver, or Allen key or the like is used, the grub screws may be turned. As each is turned, eventually the innermost end of the screw impinges upon the outermost side of its respective arm. This forces the arm to yield under the force applied by the screw. This causes the respective arm to move in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Turning to <FIG>, we are shown the top plate <NUM> ready to be attached to the bottom plate <NUM>. The top plate <NUM> includes a pair of downwardly extending tabs <NUM> and <NUM>' respectively. The size and shape of each of the tabs is selected so that when the top and bottom plates are connected, the tabs fit flush inside the respective slots <NUM> and <NUM>'. Each tab <NUM> and <NUM>' includes a small aperture <NUM> and <NUM>'. These apertures are adapted to be concentric with the hole and grub screws when the body portion is assembled. The aperture is sized so that a tool may pass through the aperture and engage the head of the grub screw, thereby enabling it to be turned in order to adjust the position of each arm. It is also sized so that the aperture is too small for the grub screw to be able to withdraw back through it if the screw is unwound within the threaded hole. Each respective tab <NUM> and <NUM>' thereby acts as an abutment that prevents it's respective grub screw from falling out of the body portion.

In <FIG>, the body portion is assembled and illustrates how the tab <NUM> in the top plate <NUM> fits flush with the slot in the bottom plate <NUM>.

<FIG> shows the body portion comprising top plate <NUM> and bottom plate <NUM> assembled with other intraoral components of the mandibular advancement device. Adjustment of each respective grub screw by inserting a tool through aperture <NUM> and <NUM>' causes the arms <NUM> and <NUM>' to move closer together as shown by the arrows. In this embodiment, due to the natural resilience of the material from which the arms are fabricated, unscrewing the grub screw causes its respective arm to return to its normal rest position.

<FIG> shows an optional feature on the top plate <NUM>. In this embodiment of the invention, a pair of windows <NUM> and <NUM>'. Each window includes measurement graduations <NUM> and <NUM>'. These offer the user a visual aid in determining the position of each arm <NUM> and <NUM>'. The user can then determine the best arm position for that particular wearer of the device. This will particularly assist a user to setup subsequent devices for a particular wearer and manually set the arms into the initial best position for that particular person.

<FIG> shows another preferred embodiment of the invention. In this view, the body portion is fitted with electronic sensors <NUM> and <NUM> '. These sensors electronically sense the position of each arm <NUM> and <NUM>'. The position data is then optionally transmitted via wireless means <NUM> to a portable computing device such as a smartphone. The smartphone has an app installed that links the position data to the user's account and logs the selected position of each arm that the wearer of the device finds to be the most comfortable. This data can then be used in the future when setting up ancillary or replacement devices for that particular wearer.

<FIG> show a preferred embodiment of the invention where a pair of natural leaf springs <NUM> and <NUM>' are prefabricated into the bottom plate <NUM>. Each of the arms <NUM> and <NUM>' are fabricated separately to the bottom plate <NUM>, and each arm includes a circular hole <NUM> and <NUM>' respectively at its anterior end which is designed to be placed upon a stake <NUM> and <NUM>' respectively. Each stake also has a matching circular profile. Each arm is then able to rotate about its respective stake, however each arm is biased into its maximum spread position by the force applied upon it by a respective leaf spring.

<FIG> show another preferred embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, each of the arms <NUM> and <NUM>' are fabricated separately to the bottom plate <NUM>, however each of the holes <NUM> and <NUM>' are no longer circular in profile. Each of the stakes <NUM> and <NUM>' that a respective arm is placeable upon has a matching non-circular profile. The shape of the stake and the hole on the arm prevent the arm from rotating about the stake, and this holds each arm in its maximum spread position. Any force applied to a respective arm imposed by the grub screw will cause the arm to move towards its opposite arm. When the force is removed, the arm will move back to its maximum spread position under the influence of its own resilience.

<FIG> show another preferred embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, each of the arms <NUM> and <NUM>' are fabricated separately to the bottom plate <NUM>, and each is able to be placed upon a prefabricated stake <NUM> and <NUM>', and both the stakes and the holes in the arms have a circular profile, so that each arm is able to rotate around its respective stake, however a pair of springs <NUM> and <NUM>' are included in the assembly, and each spring applies a biasing force to a respective arm that holds the arm in its maximum spread position until acted upon by a respective grub screw.

So, from the aforementioned preferred embodiments, it can be seen that the present invention provides an easy way for a user to setup the intraoral portion of a mandibular advancement device so that it may have improved fit, comfort upon the wearer, and may also provide more efficient function.

While the above description includes the preferred embodiments of the invention, it is to be understood that many variations, alterations, modifications and/or additions may be introduced into the constructions and arrangements of parts previously described without departing from the essential features of the invention. For example, the adjustment means in the preferred embodiment uses a threaded hole and associated grub screw, however other means of adjusting the position of the arm with respect to the other arm are possible, such as elector-mechanical means, or magnetic means. These should be considered within the scope of the present invention. Such means offer the ability to avoid the need for apertures in both the top and bottom plates, thereby making their respective surfaces continuous and thereby easier to clean and to sterilise between uses.

It will be also understood that where the word "comprise", and variations such as "comprises" and "comprising", are used in this specification, unless the context requires otherwise such use is intended to imply the inclusion of a stated feature or features but is not to be taken as excluding the presence of other feature or features.

Claim 1:
A mandibular advancement device including:
an intraoral portion including a body portion, the body portion including lower (<NUM>) and upper (<NUM>) plates, the lower plate (<NUM>) being adapted to accommodate a pair of opposed arms (<NUM>, <NUM>'), that extend rearwardly and outwardly from the lower plate (<NUM>) into an oral cavity when the device is worn, each arm including a posterior intraoral maxillary abutment surface, and
an extraoral portion,
characterised in that
the mandibular advancement device includes an adjustment means provided on each side of the lower plate (<NUM>), the adjustment means adapted to act upon a respective arm to move the respective arm towards its opposing arm, so that the respective arm's posterior intraoral maxillary abutment surface is moved to a new position.