Mouthpiece for athletic performance enhancement

Abstract

A bio-facilitation mouthpiece correlates a custom made mouthpiece with nervous system channeling to facilitate optimal physiologic activity. The mouthpiece may include right and lateral engagement portions having a top portion and a bottom portion. The top and bottom portions are adapted to include a plurality of surface impressions that correspond to the user's posterior teeth. A forward portion extends between the right and lateral engagement portions. A right outer flange member is coupled to the right lateral engagement portion, and a left outer flange member coupled to the left lateral engagement portion. At least a portion of the top portion and bottom portion of comprises a first material, and at least a portion of each of the forward portion, the right flange member, and the left flange member comprise a second material.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A bio-facilitation mouthpiece adapted to facilitate optimal neurological function, the bio-facilitation mouthpiece comprising:
 an elongated right lateral engagement portion having a first end and a second end opposite the first end, the right lateral engagement portion having a top portion and a bottom portion, the top portion adapted to include a plurality of surface impressions that correspond to the size and shape of a bottom portion of one or more of the user's upper right posterior teeth and the bottom portion adapted to include a plurality of surface impressions that correspond to the size and shape of a top portion of one or more of the user's lower right posterior teeth;   an elongated left lateral engagement portion having a first end and a second end opposite the first end, the left lateral engagement portion having a top portion and a bottom portion, the top portion adapted to include a plurality of surface impressions that correspond to the size and shape of a bottom portion of one or more of the user's upper left posterior teeth and the bottom portion adapted to include a plurality of surface impressions that correspond to the size and shape of a top portion of one or more of the user's lower left posterior teeth;   a forward portion having a first end disposed adjacent to the first end of the right lateral engagement portion and a second end disposed adjacent to the first end of the left lateral engagement portion, wherein the forward portion includes an upper edge disposed adjacent to a top edge of one or more of the user's lower anterior teeth such that a vertical gap exists between the upper edge and a bottom edge of each of the user's upper central incisors, with the vertical gap adapted to facilitate breathing and talking;   a right outer flange member coupled to the right lateral engagement portion; and   a left outer flange member coupled to the left lateral engagement portion,   wherein at least a portion of the top portion and bottom portion of each the right lateral engagement portion and left lateral engagement portion comprises a first material, and wherein at least a portion of each of the forward portion, the right outer flange member, and the left outer flange member comprise a second material, and   wherein the first material has one or more physical properties that are different than one or more corresponding physical properties of the second material.   
     
     
         2 . The bio-facilitation mouthpiece of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more physical properties includes a melting temperature. 
     
     
         3 . The bio-facilitation mouthpiece of  claim 1 , wherein the first material has a melting temperature at or below a boiling temperature of water, and wherein the second material has a melting temperature above the boiling temperature of water. 
     
     
         4 . The bio-facilitation mouthpiece of  claim 3 , wherein the first material has a melting temperature between about 150° F. and about 200° F. and wherein the second material has a melting temperature above about 200° F. 
     
     
         5 . The bio-facilitation mouthpiece of  claim 1 , wherein the forward portion is arch-shaped such that the forward portion, the right lateral engagement portion, and the left lateral engagement portion has a U-shape when viewed along a vertical axis. 
     
     
         6 . The bio-facilitation mouthpiece of  claim 1 , wherein the top portion of each of the right lateral engagement portion and the left lateral engagement portion are vertically spaced from the bottom portion of the right lateral engagement portion and the left lateral engagement portion by a distance of at least 4 mm to absorb an upward impact force on the user's mandible in a manner that prevents concussions. 
     
     
         7 . The bio-facilitation mouthpiece of  claim 1 , wherein the right outer flange member includes an upper flange portion and a lower flange portion, and the left flange outer member includes an upper flange portion and a lower flange portion. 
     
     
         8 . The bio-facilitation mouthpiece of  claim 7 , wherein the upper flange portion of the right outer flange member upwardly extends in a vertical direction from an outer edge of the right lateral engagement portion and the upper flange portion of the left outer flange member upwardly extends in a vertical direction from an outer edge of the left lateral engagement portion. 
     
     
         9 . The bio-facilitation mouthpiece of  claim 8 , wherein the upper flange portion of the right outer flange member has an upper edge extending along the gum line of the user's upper right posterior teeth and the upper flange portion of the left outer flange member has an upper edge extending along the gum line of the user's upper left posterior teeth. 
     
     
         10 . The bio-facilitation mouthpiece of  claim 7 , wherein the right outer flange member and the left outer flange member each has the shape of a contoured, rounded plate. 
     
     
         11 . The bio-facilitation mouthpiece of  claim 8 , wherein the lower flange portion of the right outer flange member downwardly extends in a vertical direction from an outer edge of the right lateral engagement portion and the lower flange portion of the left outer flange member downwardly extends in a vertical direction from an outer edge of the left lateral engagement portion. 
     
     
         12 . The bio-facilitation mouthpiece of  claim 11 , wherein the lower flange portion of each of the right flange outer member and the left outer flange member has a bottom edge that extends along the gum line of the user's lower posterior teeth. 
     
     
         13 . A mouthpiece device and positioning assembly adapted to facilitate optimal neurological function, the mouthpiece device and positioning assembly comprising:
 a bio-facilitation mouthpiece comprising:
 an elongated right lateral engagement portion having a first end and a second end opposite the first end, the right lateral engagement portion having a top portion and a bottom portion, the top portion adapted to include a plurality of surface impressions that correspond to the size and shape of a bottom portion of one or more of the user's upper right posterior teeth and the bottom portion adapted to include a plurality of surface impressions that correspond to the size and shape of a top portion of one or more of the user's lower right posterior teeth; 
 an elongated left lateral engagement portion having a first end and a second end opposite the first end, the left lateral engagement portion having a top portion and a bottom portion, the top portion adapted to include a plurality of surface impressions that correspond to the size and shape of a bottom portion of one or more of the user's upper left posterior teeth and the bottom portion adapted to include a plurality of surface impressions that correspond to the size and shape of a top portion of one or more of the user's lower left posterior teeth; 
 a forward portion having a first end disposed adjacent to the first end of the right lateral engagement portion and a second end disposed adjacent to the first end of the left lateral engagement portion, 
 wherein at least a portion of the top portion and bottom portion of each the right lateral engagement portion and left lateral engagement portion comprises a first material, and wherein at least a portion of the forward portion comprises a second material, and 
 wherein the first material has one or more physical properties that are different than one or more corresponding physical properties of the second material; and 
   two or more bite members, the two or more bite members comprising:
 a first bite member having a head portion and an elongated body portion, the head portion including a center portion that has a first thickness; 
 a second bite member having a head portion and an elongated body portion, the head portion including a center portion that has a second thickness different than the first thickness, 
   wherein the two or more bite members are adapted to cooperate to determine an optimal vertical and/or lateral maxillomandibular position, and wherein the bio-facilitation mouthpiece is adapted to maintain the user's optimal vertical and/or lateral maxillomandibular position such that optimal neurological function is facilitated.   
     
     
         14 . The mouthpiece device and positioning assembly of  claim 13 , wherein the center portion of head portion of the first bite member is surrounded by an inner ridge and an outer ridge that each extend radially along opposite lateral edges of the center portion, the inner ridge and the outer ridge being longitudinally separated by a first offset distance,
 wherein the center portion of head portion of the second bite member is surrounded by an inner ridge and an outer ridge that each extend radially along opposite lateral edges of the center portion, the inner ridge and the outer ridge being longitudinally separated by a second offset distance that is different than the first offset distance, and   wherein the inner ridge and the outer ridge of each of the first and second bite members are adapted to cooperate to determine an optimal protrusive and/or lateral maxillomandibular position, and wherein the bio-facilitation mouthpiece is adapted to maintain the user's optimal protrusive and/or lateral maxillomandibular position.   
     
     
         15 . The mouthpiece device and positioning assembly of  claim 13 , wherein the bio-facilitation mouthpiece includes a right outer flange member coupled to the right lateral engagement portion and a left outer flange member coupled to the left lateral engagement portion, and wherein at least a portion of each of the right outer flange member and the left outer flange member comprise the second material. 
     
     
         16 . A method of fabricating a bio-facilitation mouthpiece for a user, the method comprising:
 identifying a user's maxillomandibular position of minimal nociceptive input;   creating an impression of a portion of the user's upper and lower anterior teeth in the maxillomandibular position of minimal nociceptive input in a first material of a bio-facilitation mouthpiece that is comprised of both the first material and a second material, wherein the first material has a lower melting temperature than the second material, and wherein the user's maxillomandibular position of minimal nociceptive input is maintained by the bio-facilitation mouthpiece when the user wears the bio-facilitation mouthpiece.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein identifying a user's unique maxillomandibular position of minimal nociceptive input utilizes manual muscle testing. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein identifying a user's unique maxillomandibular position of minimal nociceptive input includes:
 inserting a center portion of a first bite member with a first thickness between the upper and lower anterior teeth of a user while conducting manual muscle testing such that the user's optimal vertical, lateral, and protrusive maxillomandibular position is recorded relative to the first bite member; and   inserting a center portion of a second bite member with a second thickness between the upper and lower anterior teeth of a user while conducting manual muscle testing such that the user's optimal vertical, lateral, and protrusive maxillomandibular position is recorded relative to the first bite member, wherein the second thickness is different than the first thickness.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein creating an impression of a portion of the user's upper and lower anterior teeth in the maxillomandibular position of minimal nociceptive input in the first material includes submerging the first material in water at a temperature that is above the melting temperature of the first material but is below the melting temperature of the second material. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the temperature of the water is between about 150° F. and about 200° F.