Patent ID: 7143767

Claim:
A method of reducing snoring during sleep, the method comprising: heating a mouthpiece body of a thermoplastic material having a shape generally complementary to the person's dental arch, including a posterior end having two spaced apart members positioned toward the back of the person's dental arch when properly worn, and an anterior end having an opening therethrough, the anterior end positioned when properly worn to support the person's lips spaced apart so that air flows through the opening, and having a substantially rigid protective mold of a thermostable material, said protective mold forming a portion of said mouthpiece body so that the mold protects at least a periphery of the mouthpiece body, wherein heating continues until the thermoplastic material has softened; inserting the mouthpiece into the mouth of a person so that the mouthpiece is substantially aligned with the person's dental arch; imprinting the person's teeth along a surface of the mouthpiece body not protected by the mold by biting down on the mouthpiece; allowing the mouthpiece to cool so as to reduce its plasticity; and wearing the mouthpiece body in the person's mouth during sleep, wherein the mouthpiece body is substantially aligned with the person's dental arch and held between the teeth so that the person's lips are supported by the anterior end of the mouthpiece body to allow the person to breathe through the opening in the anterior end of the mouthpiece body.