Importance

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Abstract

A device is provided for positioning within the mouth of a user for preventing snoring and nocturnal tooth grinding. The device is an integrally molded body. The device provides dental engaging portions and a rearwardly-opening central socket for cooperating with the forward portion of the user's tongue in a manner to draw the tongue forwardly so as to increase the unobstructed dimension of the nasal breathing passage. When operatively positioned within the mouth, some of the user's upper and lower teeth will enter into recesses provided by the device. The device substantially eliminates oral breathing. The tongue will be held in the socket by a negative pressure developed in the socket. When the tongue is held, it draws the body of the tongue forwardly of its usual restive position behind the lower teeth and adjacent the soft palate, the uvula and the posterior pharyngeal wall, thereby increasing the dimension of the air flow passage through the naso-pharynx to facilitate nasal breathing. The device's engagement with at least portions of one of the user's dental arches operates to eliminate nocturnal tooth-grinding.

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First Claim