1. Field of the Disclosure
The disclosure relates in general to athletic mouth guards, and more particularly, to an athletic mouth guard that provides impact protection (to lessen concussions and the severity of concussions), while providing protection to a user and while facilitating the opening of the airway passages.
2. Background Art
The use of mouth guards is well known. One particular class of mouth guards is configured for use in sports. Sports such as basketball, football and lacrosse, among others (typically, contact sports) expose players to mouth injuries received from direct impacts from outside objects. Many of these mouth guards include a single component which comprises a pair of spaced apart walls and a base which together define a cavity into which the upper teeth are directed. Generally, the user utilizes heat to soften the mouth guard and then places the mouth guard into his or her mouth. By pressing down on the mouth guard with the user's teeth, the impressions of the teeth are made into the inner surface of the channel of the mouth guard. Thus, a custom fit is provided. The mouth guard tends to preclude the biting of the tongue inadvertently, or chipping teeth through tooth to tooth contact between the lower jaw and the upper jaw.
Other mouth guards have a base with opposing spaced apart walls that extend above and below the base thereby defining two opposing channels. One of the channels is intended for the upper teeth and one of the channels is intended for the lower teeth. The user utilizes the same procedure to imprint the teeth into the surface of the channel. Typically such a configuration is utilized in football applications, although not limited thereto.
Problematically, these mouth guards perform a single function which is to limit dental injuries to the user. Thus, they are typically formed from a thermoplastic material which is easily deformable under mild heat, and which is generally injection molded from a single polymer. At times, a stronger base polymer is provided and a softer polymer is coupled thereto so that the imprint of the teeth can be made into the softer material. The harder material is configured to preclude deformation.
The mouth guards typically force the player's mouth to be closed or nearly closed to insure the proper positioning thereof. Additionally, these mouth guards are made from materials that do little to dissipate hits to the lower jaw. Additionally, they provide little protection to direct impact, as they are positioned on the upper jaw and have nothing to do with the lower jaw.
It would be helpful if a mouth guard provided enhanced breathing, as well as tooth protection, while directing the lower jaw into a position relative to the upper jaw that would greatly minimize and dissipate an impact so as to minimize the effect thereof on the skull (and in turn, brain) of the player. Such dissipation of an impact being achieved through the proper selection of material and also through the proper positioning of the lower jaw relative to the upper jaw.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to protect the player, or user, from dental injuries.
It is another object of the present invention to dissipate impact that is imparted onto the mouth guard through the formation of the mouth guard components.
It is another object of the invention to dissipate impact that is imparted onto the mouth guard so as not to direct it to the skull of the user, through the movement of the lower jaw relative to the upper jaw in a position so that the lower jaw is moved forward of its position in the habitual closure.
These objects as well as other objects of the present invention will become apparent in light of the present specification, claims, and drawings.