Removable oral devices for use in weight management and other applications

Abstract

Certain configurations of removable oral devices are described. In some instances, the removable oral device includes a palatal element. In certain configurations, the palatal element may comprise a variable hardness at different areas, e.g., edges can be softer than other areas of the removable oral device. In other instances, the removable oral device may comprise two or more individual palatal elements which together can form the palatal element and permit user adjustment of the oral volume. Various materials used in the palatal element are described. Sensors and other on-board devices are also described.

1 . A removable oral device comprising a palatal element configured to contact a roof of a user's mouth at a palatal surface, the palatal element comprising a body comprising a thickness configured to lower a vaulted area of the roof of the mouth to decrease an overall oral volume of the mouth to a first oral volume, the body comprising a variable hardness across a tongue surface of the body. 
     
     
         2 . The removable oral device of  claim 1 , further comprising a clasping element coupled to the palatal element, wherein the clasping element is configured to assist in removal of the removable oral device when the removable oral device is inserted into the user's mouth. 
     
     
         3 . The removable oral device of  claim 1 , wherein the tongue surface of the palatal element comprises a softer material at an edge of the palatal element and is substantially non-compressible at an area adjacent to the roof of the user's mouth. 
     
     
         4 . The removable oral device of  claim 3 , wherein the softer material at an edge of the palatal element has a decreased Vickers hardness at body temperature compared to room temperature. 
     
     
         5 . The removable oral device of  claim 1 , wherein the palatal element comprises a temperature sensitive thermally expandable material configured to increase its overall volume at a body temperature of the user. 
     
     
         6 . The removable oral device of  claim 1 , wherein the palatal element comprises one or more longitudinal grooves. 
     
     
         7 . The removable oral device of  claim 1 , wherein the palatal element comprises an internal bladder. 
     
     
         8 . The removable oral device of  claim 1 , wherein the body of the palatal element is configured to reversibly couple to a second body, wherein the coupled body and second body provide a second oral volume less than the first oral volume. 
     
     
         9 . The removable oral device of  claim 8 , wherein the second body is configured to reversibly couple to a third body, wherein the coupled body, second body and third body provide a third oral volume less than the second oral volume. 
     
     
         10 . The removable oral device of  claim 1 , wherein the body of the palatal element comprises a first material at the roof of the user's mouth and a second material adjacent to the clasp of the removable oral device, in which the second material is less hard than the first material to provide the variable hardness. 
     
     
         11 . The removable oral device of  claim 2 , further comprising a second clasping element coupled to the palatal element, wherein the clasping element is configured to engage a first respective molar surface of the user at one side of upper molars of the user and wherein the second clasping element is configured to engage a second respective molar surface of the user at an opposite side of the upper molars of the user to assist in removal of the removable oral device from the user's mouth. 
     
     
         12 . The removable oral device of  claim 11 , wherein the clasping element and the second clasping element do not engage any teeth other than the molar teeth of the user. 
     
     
         13 . The removable oral device of  claim 2 , wherein the palatal element and the clasping element do not alter a position of the user's teeth. 
     
     
         14 . The removable oral device of  claim 2 , wherein the palatal element and the clasping element do not retain a position of the user's teeth. 
     
     
         15 . The removable oral device of  claim 1 , wherein a Vickers Hardness of material at edges of the palatal element adjacent to teeth of the user, when the removable oral device is inserted into the user's mouth and is at a temperature substantially similar to mouth temperature of the user, is at least 20% less than a Vickers Hardness of material at an apex of the palatal element. 
     
     
         16 . The removable oral device of  claim 15 , wherein the Vickers Hardness of material at the apex of the palatal element is at least 20 HV. 
     
     
         17 . The removable oral device of  claim 1 , further comprising a camera embedded in the palatal element. 
     
     
         18 . The removable oral device of  claim 1 , further comprising an electrode positioned within the palatal element and comprising a surface configured to be exposed to fluid entering into the user's mouth. 
     
     
         19 . The removable oral device of  claim 1 , further comprising a bar code reader embedded in the palatal element. 
     
     
         20 . The removable oral device of  claim 1 , further comprising a processor embedded in the palatal element. 
     
     
         21 . The removable oral device of  claim 20 , further comprising a memory unit electrically coupled to the processor. 
     
     
         22 . The removable oral device of  claim 1 , further comprising an optical transmitter embedded within the palatal element. 
     
     
         23 . The removable oral device of  claim 1 , further comprising a RFID tag embedded within the palatal element. 
     
     
         24 . The removable oral device of  claim 1 , further comprising a piezoelectric sensor embedded within the palatal element. 
     
     
         25 . The removable oral device of  claim 1 , further comprising an accelerometer embedded within the palatal element. 
     
     
         26 . The removable oral device of  claim 1 , further comprising a chewing sensor embedded within the palatal element. 
     
     
         27 . A removable oral device comprising:
 a palatal element configured to contact a roof of a user's mouth at a palatal surface, the palatal element comprising a body comprising a thickness configured to lower a vaulted area of the roof of the mouth to decrease an overall oral volume of the mouth to a first oral volume, the body comprising a variable hardness across a tongue surface of the body;   a clasping element coupled to the palatal element, wherein the clasping element is configured to assist in removal of the removable oral device when the removable oral device is inserted into the user's mouth; and   a processor within the palatal element.   
     
     
         28 . The removable oral device of  claim 27 , further comprising a memory unit and an optical transmitter each embedded in the palatal element and each electrically coupled to the processor. 
     
     
         29 . The removable oral device of  claim 28 , further comprising a battery electrically coupled to each of the processor, the memory unit and the optical transmitter. 
     
     
         30 . The removable oral device of  claim 29 , wherein a Vickers Hardness of material at edges of the palatal element adjacent to teeth of the user, when the removable oral device is inserted into the user's mouth and is at a temperature substantially similar to mouth temperature of the user, is at least 20% less than a Vickers Hardness of material at an apex of the palatal element.