JAW BRACE

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation-in-part of International Application No. PCT/US2013/38246, filed on Apr. 25, 2013, titled THE BRACE, which claims priority to U.S. Nonprovisional application Ser. No. 13/457,376, filed on Apr. 26, 2012, title BRACE.

FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE

The disclosed invention relates to dental devices used to support the patient's jaw during procedures. More specifically, the device can stabilize the chin of a patient in situations where such movement would be risky or counterproductive to a procedure or the patient is, or will be, undergoing.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Individuals with temporomandibular disorder (TMD) suffer from a variety of symptoms including pain in and around the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) and jaw muscles, headaches, inability to fully open the mouth or close it, and many others. While there are several hypothesized causes of TMD, dental treatment for people with TMD can be difficult due to the jaw pain they are already experiencing and the extra time dentists need to provide patients with during procedures so patient's can rest their jaws. Additionally, overextension or significant force on the jaw during dental treatments is a major cause of TMD, and TMD complaints result in uncompensated postoperative care. Currently, approximately 5 to 12% of the population suffers from TMD or TMD-like symptoms. Most of these people are women between the ages of 18 and 45.

While current medical devices in the dental market exist that can prop the mouth open (i.e., bite blocks), nothing is available to support the mandible when a downward force is applied. Therefore, a device is needed that supports the jaw when a downward force is applied, prevents over-extension of the jaw, minimizes jaw pain and fatigue during dental procedures, and reduces treatment time.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The disclosed jaw brace includes a chin support for supporting a patient's chin in a fixed relative position. The chin support is itself supported in its fixed position using additional mechanisms such as a chest plate, an articulating arm, or a telescoping arm. The jaw brace is used to support the patient's jaw when the patient's chin is placed upon the chin support.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front view of one embodiment of the disclosed brace.

FIG. 2 is a side view of one embodiment of the disclosed brace.

FIG. 3 is a top view of one embodiment of the disclosed brace.

FIG. 4 is a perspective right side view of one embodiment of the disclosed brace.

FIG. 5 is an exploded view of one embodiment of the disclosed brace.

FIG. 6 is an exploded view of one embodiment of the chin support assembly.

FIG. 7 is a front view of one embodiment of the chin support assembly.

FIG. 8 is a right side cross-section view of one embodiment of the chin support assembly.

FIG. 9 is a front view of one embodiment of the disclosed brace.

FIG. 10 is a right side cross-sectional view of one embodiment of the disclosed brace.

FIG. 11 is a right side cross-sectional view of one component of the disclosed brace according to one embodiment.

FIG. 12 is a front view of one embodiment of the disclosed brace.

FIG. 13 is a top down cross-sectional view of one embodiment of the disclosed brace.

FIG. 14 is a front view of one embodiment of the disclosed brace in use.

FIG. 15 is a left side view of one embodiment of the disclosed brace in use.

FIG. 16 illustrates a right side view of the jaw brace attached to a dental procedure chair according to one embodiment of the disclosed invention.

FIG. 17 illustrates a front view of the jaw brace of FIG. 16.

FIG. 18 illustrates a perspective left side view of the jaw brace of FIG. 16 in use.

FIG. 19 illustrates the arm of the jaw brace according to one embodiment of the disclosed invention.

FIG. 20 illustrates the arm of the jaw brace according to one embodiment of the disclosed invention.

FIG. 21a illustrates one locking mechanism for the joints in the arm of the jaw brace according to one embodiment of the disclosed invention.

FIG. 21b illustrates one locking mechanism for the joints in the arm of the jaw brace according to one embodiment of the disclosed invention.

FIG. 22 illustrates a front view of the jaw brace attached to a dental procedure chair according to one embodiment of the disclosed invention.

FIG. 23 illustrates an adapter of the jaw brace of FIG. 22 surrounding the neck portion of the headrest of a dental procedure chair.

FIG. 24 illustrates a left side view of the jaw brace attached to a dental procedure chair according to one embodiment of the disclosed invention.

FIG. 25 illustrates a front view of the jaw brace of FIG. 24 and its locking mechanism according to one embodiment of the disclosed invention.

FIG. 26 is an exploded view of one embodiment of the disclosed brace.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Various user interfaces and embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals represent like parts and assemblies throughout the several views. Reference to various embodiments does not limit the scope of the claims attached hereto. Additionally, any examples set forth in this specification are not intended to be limiting and merely set forth some of the many possible embodiments for the appended claims. It is understood that various omissions and substitutions of equivalents are contemplated as circumstances may suggest or render expedient, but these are intended to cover application or embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the claims attached hereto. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.

The jaw brace is a device worn by a patient and fitted by a user, often times a dental professional, to assist in alleviating patients' jaw pain and reduce fatigue during and after dental procedures. It is a modified sterno-occipital mandibular immobilizer (SOMI) that is a modified cervical collar, designed to provide the required support with minimal restriction on mandibular movement, and minimal intrusion into the dental operating field.

The device, in some embodiments, fits over the shoulders of the patient, secures with buckles, and the size can be adjusted to comfortably fit almost any adult patient. Attached to the front of the device is an adjustable chin rest. The chin rest is composed of a soft, but dense material that allows the patient's chin to rest comfortably on this cushion. The chin rest can be adjusted to ensure that it properly supports the jaw. In some embodiments, it is on a ball bearing that enables the rotation.

The jaw brace can alleviate pain and fatigue during dental procedures by supporting the lower mandible (i.e., jaw) and allowing the patient to stop actively resisting pressure from the dentist when a downward force is applied. This allows the dentist to place the amount of pressure required on the jaw without worrying about inflicting pain, hyper-extending the jaw, taking breaks to allow the patient to rest, or providing care for sore jaw muscles or TMJs.

Therefore, the device minimizes jaw pain and discomfort, prevents overextension of the jaw, reduces treatment time by reducing the need for breaks during a procedure, enhances stability and precision, and reduces post-operative jaw pain.

Several types of patients can benefit from the disclosed device: (1) patients undergoing long procedures—especially on the mandibular arch; (2) patients undergoing any procedure where significant force is placed on the mandible; (3) symptomatic TMJ/TMD patients; (4) asymptomatic patients with signs of TMD; (5) patients who experience over-extension of the jaw or locking open; (6) patients with movement disorders such as tardive dyskinesia, Parkinson, MS; (7) and geriatric patients. In addition, it can be used as a patient restraint by putting the shoulder straps around the dental chair.

In a first embodiment, the jaw brace is a chest and shoulder-supported jaw brace 100 and includes: a chest plate 102; a chin support 600 for supporting and stabilizing a patient's chin in a fixed position relative to the patient's chest; a rod 104 having a top surface 602, said rod 104 adjustably attached to said chest plate 102; and an adjustable linkage 106 connected to said top surface 602 and to said chin support 600. The jaw brace 100 is used to support the patient's jaw when the patient's chin is placed upon the chin support 600. Examples of the first embodiment of the jaw brace in use are illustrated in FIGS. 14 and 15.

The chest plate 102 is a base formed to fit comfortably against the patient's chest and is formed of any plastic, metal, or other material having sufficient strength to support the chin support 600 when the chin support 600 is used to support said patient's chin. The chest plate, in some embodiments, includes a core 502 and padding 504. The chest plate 102 is also provided with a left shoulder brace 108 and a right shoulder brace 110. Each shoulder brace 108, 110 is provided with one or more adjustable straps 112 attached to the bottom portion of the chest plate 102, as illustrated in FIGS. 2-4. The shoulder braces 108, 110 and adjustable straps 112 secure the chest plate 102 to the patient's chest. It is appreciated that additional braces and straps are contemplated as within the present invention.

The chin support 600 is a metal or plastic frame, which can include a post 114 attached to an adjustable linkage 106 and a pad 116. In another embodiment, the adjustable linkage 106 includes a post 114 attached to the chin support 600. In some embodiments, the post 114 may be threaded to match a threaded hole to achieve the desired connection. Alternatively, the post 114 may be attached to the chin support 600 by welding or by a suitable adhesive. When in use, the pad 116 is placed in contact with the patient's chin.

The rod 104 has a top surface 602 attached to the adjustable linkage 106 and is slideably attached, and may be rotatably attached, to the chest plate 102 to permit adjustment of the position of the chin support 600 relative to the patient's chest. The rod 104 is of any desired cross section but a circular cross section facilitates rotational attachment to the chest plate 102.

The adjustable linkage 106 connects the chin support 600 to the top surface 602 of the rod 104. The adjustable linkage 106 permits adjustment of the chin support 600 relative to the chest plate 102 and the ability to lock the chin support 600 in a selected position relative to the rod 104. Cross-sections of this region of the jaw brace are illustrated in FIGS. 10 and 11. The dual ball joint shown in FIGS. 1, 4-9, 12 and 14 is one such adjustable linkage 106. The dual ball joint can include two curved plates 120 and a locking mechanism 122. The dual ball joint is completely adjustable before it is fixed in place by the locking mechanism 122 and this allows for aligning the chin rest under the patient's chin in 3-dimensions, thus allowing for adaptation to different anatomies and symmetries of different patient's jaws.

In use, the chest plate 102 is fastened by means of the left shoulder brace 108, right shoulder brace 110, and adjustable straps 112 to the patient's chest and the rod 104 is adjusted to place the chin support 600 at a selected height relative to the patient's chest by an adjustable connector 118 connecting the rod 104 to the chest plate 102. A cross-section of the adjustable connector 118 is illustrated in FIG. 13. Then, the technician can place the chin support 600 at a desired location, and the patient's chin is placed in contact with the chin support 600. The adjustable linkage 106 is then locked and the patient's chin is thereby stabilized. In some embodiments, the right shoulder brace 108 and left shoulder brace 110 each have a metal brace 128 attached to the shoulder braces 108, 110 via a round disk and screw assembly 130. In some embodiments, the shoulder braces 108, 110 are padded to provide more comfort for the patient.

In one embodiment, the adjustable straps 112 are used to hold the device on to the patient by connecting each shoulder brace 108, 110 to the chest plate 102. Each adjustable strap 112 can attach to the base of the chest plate 102 through the use of a hook and clasp feature, wherein one strap will thread through an outside hole 124 and fold back and attach to itself. Each adjustable strap 112 can attach to a shoulder brace 108 or 110 through the use of a buckle, wherein the male connector part of the buckle is attached to the adjustable strap 112 and slides into the female receiving part of the buckle, which is attached to the shoulder brace 108 or 110. Alternatively, the male connector part of the buckle can attach to the shoulder brace 108 or 110 and the female receiving part of the buckle can attach to the adjustable strap 112. In one embodiment, the adjustable straps 112 cross across the patient's back so that one adjustable strap 112 connects to the right side of the chest plate 102 and the left shoulder brace 108 and the second adjustable strap 112 connects to the left side of the chest plate 102 and the right shoulder brace 110.

Use of a bite block can ensure the maximum comfortable opening for the patient. Then, the user can set the chin support 600 to a comfortable position with the bite block still in. Lastly, the bite block can be taken out or it can be left in the patient's mouth for extra stability and removed whenever the patient wants to close his or her mouth.

In other embodiments of the disclosed device, the jaw brace can be attached to a chair, such as a dental procedure chair 1602, as illustrated in FIGS. 16-18 and 22-25. The jaw brace, in this embodiment, does not have a chest plate 102 or shoulder braces 108, 110. Instead, the support for the chin, which can be a chin rest 1604 as illustrated in FIG. 18, is attached to an arm that can attach to a headrest 1606 of the dental procedure chair 1602. The chin rest 1604 can include one or more foam layers or any other reasonably firm, yet viscoelastic material that is resilient and flexible.

The jaw brace can have two main parts if it is built in to the dental procedure chair 1602: the arm and the chin rest 1604. If the jaw brace is not built in to the dental procedure chair 1602, it can have three main parts: the arm, the chin rest 1604, and an adapter 1702 that connects the arm to the dental procedure chair 1602. The benefit to these embodiments is that the jaw brace does not rest on the patient's chest. Instead, the dental procedure chair 1602 supports the jaw brace.

The arm can operate in several ways. In one embodiment, illustrated in FIGS. 16-18, the arm can be an articulating arm 1608 that includes two or more rods or other rigid support structures. The first rod 1610 can connect to the dental procedure chair 1602 or the adaptor 1702 by, for example, a pivot hinge, so that the first rod 1610 can pivot around the connection. The other end of the first rod 1610 can connect to the second rod 1612 by, for example, a pivot hinge, so that the second rod 1612 can pivot around the first rod 1610. The second rod 1612 can be connected, on its other end, to either the chin rest 1604 or a third arm, by a pivot hinge. These connections can continue to include any number of rods. This construction allows the user to custom fit the jaw brace to any patient. Additionally, the jaw brace, in this embodiment, can fold away behind the chair or on the side of it, as illustrated in FIG. 16.

In another embodiment, the arm can be a straight telescoping arm 1902 or a curved telescoping arm 1904 with rotational joints, as illustrated in FIGS. 19 and 20. For example, the telescoping arm 1902 or 1904 can include a plurality of rods, each capable of sliding into the rod next to it for storage. The first telescoping rod 1904, which is closest to the dental procedure chair 1602, can connect directly to the dental procedure chair 1602 or indirectly to the dental procedure chair 1602 via the adaptor 1702. The furthest telescoping rod 1906, which is furthest from the chair, can connect directly to the chin rest 1604. When in use, the user can slide one or more of the rods out from each other and lock them in place at each joint, as illustrated in FIGS. 21a and 21b. The rods can also be locked in place when they slide into one another. For example, a second rod can be extended and locked to a first rod, and a third rod can slide in and lock to the second rod. In this way, the length of the arm can vary based on the user's needs. Each lock can also include a rotational joint, enabling the user to custom fit the jaw brace to any patient. The locks at each joint can be, for example, manual locks 2100a or electrical or pneumatic locks 2100b.

In one embodiment, the arm can be two arms, as illustrated in FIG. 22. In this embodiment, one end of each arm connects to the dental procedure chair 1602 or the adaptor 1702. Therefore, a first arm 2202 protrudes from the left side of the dental procedure chair 1602 and a second arm 2204 protrudes from the right side of the dental procedure chair 1602. The first and second arms 2202, 2204 then wrap around their respective sides of the patient in the dental procedure chair 1602 and can connect, in front of the patient, to each other using an arm-to-arm locking mechanism 2206. This embodiment can reduce stress on the joints of the first and second arms 2202, 2204 if the first and second arms 2202, 2204 are articulating arms 1608 or telescoping arms 1902, 2002, as described above.

The adapter 1702, in some embodiments, can be removably attached to the headrest 1606 of the dental procedure chair 1602 by encompassing the neck portion of the headrest 1606, as illustrated in FIGS. 17, 22, and 23. For example, if there is only one arm, as illustrated in FIG. 17, the adapter 1702 can include two adapter halves 2306, 2308 that are permanently connected via a hinge on one end (to allow the adaptor 1702 to open and close) and are removably connected on the other end via a clasping, snapping, or locking mechanism (to allow the adaptor 1702 to secure itself to the dental procedure chair 1602). If there are two arms, as illustrated in FIGS. 22 and 23, the end of each arm can be connected to one of the two adapter halves 2306 or 2308 and can encompass half of the front of the headrest 1606 and half of the back of the headrest 1606. Therefore, as illustrated in FIG. 23, the two adapter halves 2306, 2308 can come in contact at both the front and back of the headrest 1606 and, at those locations, can clasp, snap, or lock together. In one embodiment, each adapter half 2306, 2308 has a receiving part 2302 and a locking part 2304, wherein the receiving part 2302 of the first adapter half 2306 matches up to the locking part 2304 of the second adapter half 2308 and the receiving part 2302 of the second adapter half 2308 matches up to the locking part 2304 of the first adapter half 2306.

In one embodiment, the jaw brace has a connection piece 2402, such as, but not limited to, a rod or strap, that hooks around the neck portion of the headrest 1606 of the dental procedure chair 1602, as illustrated in FIGS. 24 and 25. Each end of the connection piece 2402 connects to the chest plate 102, which can rest on the patient's chest, sternum, etc. In one embodiment, one end of the connection piece 2402 is permanently attached to the chest plate 102 and the other end of the connection piece 2402 can clasp, snap, or lock into the chest plate 102 using a locking mechanism 2502, as illustrated in FIG. 25. In another embodiment, both ends of the connection piece 2402 have a locking mechanism 2502 that enable the connection piece 2402 to clasp, snap, or lock into the chest plate 102. The chin rest 1604 can attach to the chest plate 102 and can be adjustable, as described above.

In some embodiments, the jaw brace includes: a chest plate 102 that includes a core 502 and padding 504; a chin support 600 for supporting and stabilizing a patient's chin in a fixed position relative to the patient's chest; a rod 104 having a top surface 602, said rod 104 adjustably attached to said chest plate 102; an adjustable linkage 106 connected to said top surface 602 and to said chin support 600; a left shoulder brace 108; and a right shoulder brace 110; and one or more adjustable straps 112. The chin support 600 can include: a post 114 attached to an adjustable linkage 106 and a pad 116. An example of this embodiment of the jaw brace is illustrated in FIG. 26.

The various embodiments described above are provided by way of illustration only and should not be construed to limit the claims attached hereto. Those skilled in the art will readily recognize various modifications and changes that may be made without following the example embodiments and applications illustrated and described herein and without departing from the true spirit and scope of the following claims.