Oral appliance for tongue thrust correction

DETAILED DESCRIPTION The present invention solves the above-mentioned problems by providing an oral appliance having a palatal portion having proximal and distal ends; the palatal portion formed of thin wire filament disposed along a lingual gingival surface of the upper teeth; the proximal end being adjacent the anterior teeth and the distal end being adjacent the posterior teeth; a lingual portion comprising a thin wire.
filament having first and second ends, the lingual portion being pivotally mounted at its first end to the proximal end of the palatal portion for movement about a pivot axis; bridge means supported at the second end substantially spanning the palate for bearing against the dorsum of the tongue; and resilient band means connected laterally across the distal end of the palatal portion for urging the lingual portion away from the palatal portion and the bridge means against the dorsum of the tongue.
Preferably the bridge means of the appliance comprises a thin arched band whose arch substantially conforms to the contour of the dorsum of the tongue.
Preferably the resilient band means biases the bridge means against the dorsum of the tongue sufficiently to cause the anterior part of the tongue to contact the rugae for proper proprioceptive feel.
Preferably the appliance includes absorption means for absorbing and then dispensing liquid stimulant.
In one embodiment of the invention the palatal and lingual portions are linked together by means of thin flexible filaments protruding from respective sides of the palatal portion.
The filaments are fixedly secured in the lingual portion while being capable of limited translational movement in the palatal portion.
Accordingly, due to the flexibility of the filaments and their movement with respect to the palatal portion, the lingual portion is capable of both pivotal movement about a pivot axis as well as limited translational movement with respect to the palatal portion.
The appliance is comfortable, inexpensive, non-invasive and removable, and when installed, effectively inhibits the onset of snoring and the various degrees of sleep apnea