Mouth guard and kit

Abstract

A user-fabricated mouth guard wherein the user's teeth and gums are not directly exposed to the uncured mouth guard material. The uncured mouth guard material is pliant at room temperature and does not have to be heated to form and shape the mouth guard. The cured mouth guard call be pliant or rigid at room temperature. A kit and a method of forming the mouth guard are also disclosed.

1 . A method for forming a mouth guard, said method comprising: 
 providing a curable resin into a thin-walled container to form a resin-filled container;    placing the container on a tray;    inserting the resin-filled container and the tray into a person's mouth wherein the person forms impressions of the person's teeth in the resin;    curing the resin;    removing the resin-filled container and the tray from the person's mouth; and    removing the container from around the resin to form a mouth guard.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the container further comprises an open end and a closed end.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising closing the open end of the container after providing the resin and before inserting the resin-filled container into the person's mouth.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the closing step comprises folding the open end of the container under a portion of the container adjacent to the open end.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the curable resin comprises a two-part resin.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the two-part resin is provided to the container by using a dual cartridge syringe.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the container is a bag.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the container is substantially u-shaped.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the container comprises a polyethylene film.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the polyethylene film has a thickness of between about 0.0001 and about 0.001 inches.  
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the container is stuffed with fibrous fillers.  
   
   
       12 . A method for forming a mouth guard, said method comprising: 
 providing a curable resin into a thin-walled container to form a resin-filled container;    placing the container on a tray;    placing a pre-formed model of a person's teeth onto the resin-filled container to form the person's teeth impressions in the resin;    curing the resin;    removing the resin-filled container and the tray from model of the person's teeth; and    removing the container material from around the resin to form a mouth guard.    
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the curable resin comprises a light-curable material and wherein the tray and the model are substantially light-transparent.  
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the step of curing the resin comprises subjecting the resin to an electromagnetic radiation source.  
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the container is a bag.  
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the container is substantially u-shaped.  
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the container comprises a polyethylene film.  
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the polyethylene film has a thickness of between about 0.0001 and about 0.001 inches.  
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the container is stuffed with fibrous fillers.  
   
   
       20 . A method for forming a mouth guard, said method comprising: 
 providing a curable resin into a thin-walled container to form a resin-filled container, wherein the thin-walled container is a substantially u-shaped bag;    placing the container on a tray;    inserting the resin-filled container and the tray into a person's mouth wherein the person forms impressions of the person's teeth in the resin;    curing the resin;    removing the resin-filled container and the tray from the person's mouth; and    removing the container from around the resin to form a mouth guard.    
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the curable resin comprises a light-curable material and wherein the tray and the model are substantially light-transparent.  
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the curable resin comprises a two-part resin.  
   
   
       23 . A method for forming a mouth guard, said method comprising: 
 providing a curable resin into a thin-walled container to form a resin-filled container, wherein the thin-walled container is a substantially u-shaped bag;    placing the container on a tray;    placing a pre-formed model of a person's teeth onto the resin-filled container to form the person's teeth impressions in the resin;    curing the resin;    removing the resin-filled container and the tray from model of the person's teeth; and    removing the container material from around the resin to form a mouth guard.    
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the curable resin comprises a light-curable material and wherein the tray and the model are substantially light-transparent.  
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the curable resin comprises a two-part resin.