Patent ID: 7128072

Claim:
A mouthguard for insertion into a wearer's mouth to protect the wearer's teeth and temporomandibular joint from trauma, said mouthguard comprising: a generally curved, flexible member having a longitudinal extent and including a central portion for protecting the wearer's anterior teeth and two end members each extending rearwardly from said central portion for protecting the wearer's posterior teeth, said flexible member having a front surface adjacent the wearer's lips and cheeks, a rear surface adjacent the wearer's anterior and posterior teeth when the mouthguard is inserted into the wearer's mouth, and a thickness defined by the distance between the front and rear surfaces; a first groove extending into one of said front and rear surfaces a predetermined depth less than the thickness of said flexible member, said groove defining a first hinge permitting flexing of a portion of the flexible member about said hinge to conform to the wearer's mouth; and a pair of bite tabs extending along a substantial portion of said longitudinal extent and projecting inwardly from said central portion and said end members, said bite tabs being adapted to be engaged by at least one of the wearer's anterior teeth and one of the wearer's posterior teeth.