Patent ID: 8256426

Claim:
A device adapted to be positioned at least partially in a mouth of a user to reduce resistance of air flow in the oral pharyngeal region and to improve anatomic and functional relationships of the oral pharyngeal structure, the device comprising: a base unit adapted to be removably mounted on a lower jaw of the mouth; wherein the base unit includes an occlusal wall, a lateral wall, and a lingual wall, wherein the occlusal wall, the lateral wall and the lingual wall provide a structure for receiving at least a portion of the lower jaw; a pair of tongue positioner guides, each tongue positioner guide connected at a proximal end to the base unit; a pair of tongue positioners, each connected with a distal end of a corresponding tongue positioner guide; and wherein the pair of tongue positioner guides are each adjustable to reposition the tongue positioners relative to the base unit; and wherein when the base unit is mounted on the lower jaw, the tongue positioners are adapted to be arranged beneath a tongue of the mouth so that the tongue is urged against a soft palette of the mouth to thereby reduce resistance of air flow in the oral pharyngeal region and improve anatomic and functional relationships of the oral pharyngeal structure; and a maxillary repositioning flange removably connectable with the base unit, the maxillary repositioning flange being positioned anterior to the upper dental arch when the base unit is removably mounted on the lower jaw; wherein when the base unit is removably mounted on the lower jaw, interference of the maxillary repositioning flange with the upper dental arch causes the lower jaw to be repositioned relative to an upper jaw of the mouth.