Patent ID: 7320597

Claim:
A saliva control device for placement over a salivary gland and surrounding oral tissue for controlling production of saliva by the salivary gland comprising: a body having a substantially flat, planar bottom surface for placement against oral tissue surrounding a salivary gland, said flat, planar bottom surface having an opening formed therethrough in the form of a cavity that is sufficiently small so that when the salivary gland is pulled into the cavity the salivary gland is constricted to help control and prevent saliva production; said body also defining a vacuum chamber within the body that is in fluid communication with the cavity so that upon applying a vacuum to the vacuum chamber, the applied vacuum will assist in pulling the salivary gland through the opening that defines the cavity in order to constrict and seal the salivary gland within the cavity; and an air evacuation passage in fluid communication with the vacuum chamber through which the vacuum is applied to the vacuum chamber, the air evacuation passage comprising a one-way valve for sealing the evacuation passage after the vacuum has been applied.