Patent ID: 8573223

Claim:
An oral device for temporary placement in a patient's oral cavity, said device comprising; a base adapted to be held between a patient's upper and lower teeth; a vacuum conduit; a lip seal coupled to the base and passing the vacuum conduit into the oral cavity; and a tongue-engaging member coupled to the base and having an integral plenum connected to the vacuum conduit, wherein the member has (1) an anterior surface and a posterior surface where the anterior surface is inclined forwardly relative to a plane of the base and is disposed to engage a medial region of the tongue when the base is positioned between the patient's upper and lower teeth, and (2) at least one port on the posterior surface of the tongue-engaging member and open to the plenum: wherein the tongue-engaging member has an angle of inclination to create a clear region above a medial region of the tongue when the base is positioned between the patient's upper and lower teeth.