Oral appliance for treatment of snoring and sleep apnea

Abstract

An oral appliance ( 1 ) is provided for the treatment of snoring and obstructive sleep apnea. The oral appliance ( 1 ) includes an upper tray ( 10 ) adaptable to conform to a user's maxillary dentition and a plurality of lower trays ( 40 ), each of the lower trays ( 40 ) adaptable to conform to the user's mandibular dentition. At least some of the lower trays ( 40 ) are structured to engage the upper tray ( 10 ), each of the lower trays ( 40 ) are structured to impart a different fixed amount of mandibular advancement.

1 . An oral appliance assembly, comprising: an oral appliance tray adaptable to conform to a user's dentition; and a holding tray adapted to promote proper insertion of the oral appliance tray into a user's mouth, the holding tray comprising: a generally U-shaped frame structured to couple with the oral appliance tray, and a handle located substantially at the vertex of the frame. 
     
     
         2 . The oral appliance assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the frame has a base with an outer wall extending therefrom and wherein the handle projects from a front surface of the outer wall. 
     
     
         3 . The oral appliance assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the holding tray includes a number of bite pads located on an occlusal surface thereof, wherein the bite pads are structured to distribute a user's bite pressure across the occlusal surface of the holding tray. 
     
     
         4 . The oral appliance assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the oral appliance tray is adaptable to conform to one of the user's maxillary dentition and the user's mandibular dentition. 
     
     
         5 . A holding tray adapted to promote proper insertion of an oral appliance into a user's mouth, the holding tray comprising: a generally U-shaped frame structured to engage the oral appliance, the frame having a base with an outer wall extending therefrom; and a handle projecting from a buccal surface of the outer wall, the handle substantially located with the vertex of the U-shaped frame. 
     
     
         6 . The holding tray of  claim 5 , wherein at least one of a portion of the base and a portion of the outer wall define an aperture structured to receive an engagement member of the oral appliance therethrough. 
     
     
         7 . The holding tray of  claim 5 , wherein an occlusal surface of the base includes a number of contact pads, wherein the contact pads are structured to distribute a user's bite pressure across the occlusal surface of the base. 
     
     
         8 . The holding tray of  claim 5 , wherein the contact pads are comprised of an elastomeric material.