Patent ID: 8622898

Claim:
An apparatus for retracting at least a portion of sides of an animal tongue, at least a portion of the back of the animal tongue, and a dorsal portion of an animal tongue, comprising: a tongue retraction handle that is elongate comprising a proximal portion that extends along a reference plane toward a distal portion, with the tongue retraction handle generally disposed above the reference plane; and a tongue retraction cup coupled to the distal portion of the tongue retraction handle, the tongue retraction cup extending along the reference plane and generally beneath the reference plane, the tongue retraction cup being generally concave and sized to position a first side of the tongue retraction cup at least partially over a first lateral side of the tongue, a second side opposite the first side at least partially over a second side of the tongue that is opposite the first lateral side of the tongue, a dorsal portion of the cup along the dorsal portion of the tongue and a posterior extending tip at least partially along the back of the tongue toward an oral pharyngeal portion of the tongue, the first side, second side, and posterior extending tip defining a tongue receiving cavity of the tongue retraction cup, wherein the tongue retraction cup defines a relief notch opening proximal the posterior extending tip, the relief notch sized to accommodate an oral frenulum, wherein the apparatus is formed of one or more materials adapted to maintain a shape, including an orientation of the tongue retraction handle with respect to the tongue retraction cup, to forcibly retract the animal tongue laterally.