Patent ID: 8303305

Claim:
An oral shield for use in oral medical procedures, the oral shield comprising: an absorbent, deformable shield body having a circumference, the shield body comprising an insertion end configured and arranged for insertion into a patient's mouth, the insertion end having an outer edge that comprises a convex region that extends an entire length of the outer edge of the insertion end, a handling end disposed opposite to the insertion end, the handling end having an outer edge that comprises a convex region that extends an entire length of the outer edge of the handling end, wherein the insertion end is larger in size than the handling end, a first curved outer edge extending between the insertion end and the handling end, and a second curved outer edge extending between the insertion end and the handling end, wherein the second curved outer edge is disposed opposite to the first curved outer edge; wherein the outer edge of the insertion end, the outer edge of the handling end, the first curved outer edge, and the second curved outer edge collectively form the entire circumference of the shield body; wherein the first curved outer edge comprises a single concave region, and wherein the first curved outer edge is shaped to correspond to the contours of a floor of a patient's mouth along an anterior-posterior axis between inner surfaces of the patient's teeth and the patient's tongue; wherein the second curved outer edge comprises a convex region extending an entire length of the second curved outer edge, and wherein the second curved outer edge is shaped to the contours of a roof of the patient's mouth along an anterior-posterior axis between inner surfaces of the patient's teeth and the patient's tongue; wherein the shield body is configured and arranged such that when the insertion end is inserted into a first side of the patient's mouth, between inner surfaces of the patient's teeth and the patient's tongue, the first curved outer edge abuts the floor of the patient's mouth while the second curved outer edge simultaneously abuts the roof of the patient's mouth, and while at least a portion of the handling end extends outward from the mouth; wherein the handling end is configured and arranged such that, when the insertion end is inserted into the first side of the patient's mouth, the portion of the handling end extending outward from the mouth is tuckable between outer surfaces of the patient's teeth and an inner surface of the patient's cheek on a second side of the patient's mouth, opposite to the first side of the patient's mouth, to isolate the patient's tongue and posterior pharynx from the first side of the patient's mouth, wherein the oral shield is constructed entirely from an absorbent, non-toxic, porous rubber or cellulose material.