Patent ID: 7832404

Claim:
A dental appliance comprising: a U-shaped buccal strap having opposing right and left aft end portions, the buccal strap including a plurality of indentations disposed adjacent the right and left aft portions; a right bite pad assembly slidingly connected to and completely enclosing the right aft end portion of the buccal strap, the right bite pad assembly comprising: a right upper bite surface member for contacting right upper molars of a wearer; a right lower bite surface member for contacting right lower molars of the wearer; a right channel extending through the right upper bite surface member and the right lower bite surface member, the right channel for receiving the right aft end portion of the buccal strap; a protrusion extending inwardly within the right channel, the protrusion for engaging one of the plurality of indentations in the right aft end portion of the buccal strap to provide for adjustment positioning; and a wall section that can flex outward sufficient to allow the protrusion to engage or disengage the indentations; and a left bite pad assembly slidingly connected to and completely enclosing the left aft end portion of the buccal strap, the left bite pad assembly comprising: a left upper bite surface member for contacting left upper molars of a wearer; a left lower bite surface member for contacting left lower molars of the wearer; a left channel extending through the left upper bite surface member and the left lower bite surface member, the left channel for receiving the left aft end portion of the buccal strap; and a protrusion extending inwardly within the left channel, the protrusion for engaging one of the plurality of indentations in the left aft end portion of the buccal strap to provide for adjustment positioning; a wall section that can flex outward sufficient to allow the protrusion to engage or disengage the indentations.