ORAL DEVICE FOR TREATING MASTICATORY MUSCLES

摘要

A device adapted to be placed in the human mouth for treating among other things temporomandibular joint dysfunctions comprising an elongated flexible plastic body having occlusal portions at the extremities thereof, the occlusal portions being interconnected at their forward or anterior ends by a labial portion. The occlusal portions each are provided with an enlarged fluid-containing passage. The passages in the occlusal portions are interconnected by a restricted passage which transverses the labial portion of the body. The occlusal portions form enlarged cells which are adapted to be positioned between the posterior teeth on each side of the mouth, and constitute occlusal pressure responsive means for hydrostatically compensating for any differences in pressure resulting from occlusal forces applied to each of the cells by the posterior teeth of the mouth. As a result, the occlusal forces which would normally be applied to the teeth are equalized and are axially oriented. The overall effect is to eliminate compensatory contraction or adjustment of the masticatory muscles, thereby enabling those muscles to function in a less strained manner, and to establish a more physiological or undistorted skull-mandible relationship.