US-20260124059-A1 - ORAL COMMISSURAL SPLINT

US20260124059A1US 20260124059 A1US20260124059 A1US 20260124059A1US-20260124059-A1

Abstract

An oral commissural splint with a mouthguard tray removably mounted on teeth of a patient. The platform includes a textured upper surface, a front wall with a ridge, a plurality of openings spaced along the lower edge of the front wall, and a rear wall extending up from the tooth platform opposite the front wall. Two commissural supports securely couple to the mouthguard tray, each including a clip to engage the ridge of the mouthguard tray and insert into the openings of the mouthguard tray, and a body configured for long-term support of a commissure at a corner of the mouth of the patient when the commissural support is coupled to the mouthguard tray and inserted into the mouth of the patient. Each clip is removably attached at a desired position on the mouthguard tray.

Inventors

Charles McKenzie

Assignees

Kenzie Therapeutics LLC

Dates

Publication Date: 20260507
Application Date: 20250417

Claims (20)

1 . An oral commissural splint, comprising: a mouthguard tray configured to be inserted into a mouth of a patient and removably mounted on teeth of the patient, the mouthguard tray having: a tooth platform having an upper surface with a plurality of textured structures on the upper surface; a front wall extending up from the tooth platform and having an upper edge defining a ridge and a lower edge having a plurality of openings spaced along the lower edge of the front wall; and a rear wall extending up from the tooth platform opposite the front wall; and two commissural supports configured to securely couple to the mouthguard tray, each of the two commissural supports having: a clip having a lip configured to engage the ridge of the mouthguard tray and at least one clip arm having a clip projection configured to insert into each of the plurality of openings of the mouthguard tray, wherein the lip and the at least one clip arm together are configured to hold the clip to the mouthguard tray; and a body integral with and extending away from the clip, the body configured for long-term support of a commissure at a corner of the mouth of the patient when the commissural support is coupled to the mouthguard tray and the mouthguard tray is inserted into the mouth of the patient and removably mounted on the teeth of the patient; wherein each clip of the two commissural supports is configured to removably snap into a desired position on the mouthguard tray with the lip engaged with the ridge of the mouthguard tray and the clip projection of the at least one clip arm inserted into at least one of the plurality of openings.
2 . The oral commissural splint of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of textured structures are configured to mechanically engage a mold within the mouthguard tray, the mold formed of a dental impression material.
3 . The oral commissural splint of claim 1 , wherein positions of the two commissural supports with respect to the mouthguard tray are adjustable.
4 . The oral commissural splint of claim 1 , wherein a position of a first commissural support of the two commissural supports with respect to the mouthguard tray is independent of a position of a second commissural support of the two commissural supports with respect to the mouthguard tray.
5 . The oral commissural splint of claim 4 , wherein the first commissural support and the second commissural support are positionable such that the position of the first commissural support is closer to a center of the mouthguard tray than the position of the second commissural support.
6 . An oral commissural splint, comprising: a mouthguard tray configured to be removably retained within a mouth of a patient, the mouthguard tray having a front wall, the front wall having a plurality of openings spaced along a lower edge of the front wall; and at least one commissural support configured to securely couple to the mouthguard tray, the at least one commissural support having at least one clip arm configured to positionally hold the commissural support in relation to the mouthguard tray, and a body extending away from the clip, the body configured for long-term support of a commissure at a corner of the mouth of the patient when the at least one commissural support is coupled to the mouthguard tray and the mouthguard tray is inserted into the mouth of the patient.
7 . The oral commissural splint of claim 6 , the mouthguard tray further having a tooth platform having an upper surface with a plurality of textured structures on the upper surface, wherein the front wall extends up from the tooth platform and wherein the plurality of textured structures are configured to mechanically engage a mold within the mouthguard tray, the mold formed of a dental impression material.
8 . The oral commissural splint of claim 6 , wherein the clip of the at least one commissural support is configured to removably snap into a desired position on the mouthguard tray with the at least one clip arm inserted into at least one of a plurality of openings of the mouthguard tray, the front wall having an upper edge defining a ridge and the clip having a lip configured to engage the ridge, wherein the clip of the at least one commissural support is configured to removably snap into the desired position on the mouthguard tray with the lip engaged with the ridge of the mouthguard tray and the at least one clip arm inserted into at least one of the plurality of openings of the mouthguard tray.
9 . The oral commissural splint of claim 6 , wherein a position of a first commissural support of the at least one commissural support with respect to the mouthguard tray is independent of a position of a second commissural support of the at least one commissural support with respect to the mouthguard tray.
10 . The oral commissural splint of claim 9 , wherein the first commissural support and the second commissural support are positionable such that the position of the first commissural support is closer to a center of the mouthguard tray than the position of the second commissural support.
11 . An oral commissural splint, comprising: a mouthguard tray configured to be removably retained within a mouth of a patient; and at least one commissural support configured to movably couple to the mouthguard tray with the at least one commissural support movable between desired spatial positions in relation to the mouthguard tray, wherein the at least one commissural support remains in each of the desired spatial positions when placed there to support a commissure at a corner of the mouth of the patient when the mouthguard tray is inserted into the mouth of the patient over an extended period of time exceeding a day.
12 . The oral commissural splint of claim 11 , the mouthguard tray having a front wall, the front wall having a plurality of openings spaced along the front wall.
13 . The oral commissural splint of claim 12 , the at least one commissural support having a clip with at least one clip arm configured to hold the clip to the mouthguard tray and a body extending away from the clip, the body configured to support the commissure at the corner of the mouth of the patient when the mouthguard tray is inserted into the mouth of the patient.
14 . The oral commissural splint of claim 13 , wherein the at least one commissural support is configured to removably snap into the desired position on the mouthguard tray with the at least one clip arm inserted into an opening of the plurality of openings of the mouthguard tray.
15 . The oral commissural splint of claim 13 , the front wall having an upper edge defining a ridge and the clip having lip configured to engage the ridge, wherein the clip of the at least one commissural support is configured to removably snap into the desired position on the mouthguard tray with the lip engaged with the ridge of the mouthguard tray and the at least one clip arm inserted into at least one of the plurality of openings of the mouthguard tray.
16 . The oral commissural splint of claim 13 , wherein the body is integral with the clip.
17 . The oral commissural splint of claim 11 , the mouthguard tray further having a tooth platform having an upper surface with a plurality of textured structures on the upper surface, wherein the plurality of textured structures are configured to mechanically engage a mold within the mouthguard tray, the mold formed of a dental impression material.
18 . The oral commissural splint of claim 11 , wherein a position of the at least one commissural support with respect to the mouthguard tray is adjustable.
19 . The oral commissural splint of claim 11 , wherein a position of a first commissural support of the at least one commissural support with respect to the mouthguard tray is independent of a position of a second commissural support of the at least one commissural support with respect to the mouthguard tray.
20 . The oral commissural splint of claim 19 , wherein the first commissural support and the second commissural support are positionable such that the position of the first commissural support is closer to a center of the mouthguard tray than the position of the second commissural support.

Description

RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional patent application 63/638,604, filed 25 Apr., 2024 to Charles Mckenzie, titled “Oral Commissural Splint,” the entirety of the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by this reference. TECHNICAL FIELD This document relates to dental devices, and more specifically to an oral commissural splint designed to support and stabilize the oral commissure, particularly in patients undergoing various dental or medical treatments that impact the structure or function of the oral cavity. BACKGROUND Oral commissure are the corner points of the mouth where the upper and lower lips meet. Various medical and dental conditions, particularly associated with injuries to these areas, such as cuts and electrical burns, can affect the stability and integrity of the oral commissure, leading to complications involving alterations in speaking, eating and mandibular motion, thereby significantly impacting a patient's quality of life. Prosthetic treatment of such injuries involves providing a device to apply physical resistance to scar contracture to maintain the oral commissures in their normal relationship through a splint. Existing devices aimed at supporting the mouth and lips post injury, called oral commissural splints, typically include various structures that attempt to maintain the integrity and position of the mouth's corners. However, a significant limitation of these existing solutions is their lack of adjustability and specificity in application. Because each patient's mouth is different and has a different size and post-injury spacing, and the needed spacing necessarily changes throughout different stages of recovery, one-size-fits-all designs are ineffective for most patients, and custom splints are needed to accommodate individual anatomical differences among patients. Use of an incorrectly sized splint can lead to inadequate support, discomfort, and even aggravation of existing conditions due to poor fit. Creation of an oral commissural splint typically involves taking a mold of the patient's mouth and creating a custom-sized and spaced oral commissure through use of an acrylic palatal surface with two commissural posts to hold the corners of the mouth in the desired, open position. Other splints use acrylic splints with elastics, prong prosthesis or acrylic hooks. If teeth are available, the splint is made to fit over, or be cemented to, the maxillary dentition. However, creating custom splints is uncomfortable when taking the molds and takes time to create. In addition, the splint needs to be recreated as therapy continues when the patient's treatment situation changes. SUMMARY The present disclosure relates to an oral commissural splint, comprising a mouthguard tray configured to be inserted into a mouth of a patient and removably mounted on teeth of the patient, the mouthguard tray having: a tooth platform having an upper surface with a plurality of textured structures on the upper surface; a front wall extending up from the tooth platform and having an upper edge defining a ridge and a lower edge having a plurality of openings spaced along the lower edge of the front wall; and a rear wall extending up from the tooth platform opposite the front wall; and two commissural supports configured to securely couple to the mouthguard tray, each of the two commissural supports having: a clip having a lip configured to engage the ridge of the mouthguard tray and at least one clip arm having a clip projection configured to insert into each of the plurality of openings of the mouthguard tray, wherein the lip and the at least one clip arm together are configured to hold the clip to the mouthguard tray; and a body integral with and extending away from the clip, the body configured for long-term support of a commissure at a corner of the mouth of the patient when the commissural support is coupled to the mouthguard tray and the mouthguard tray is inserted into the mouth of the patient and removably mounted on the teeth of the patient; wherein each clip of the two commissural supports is configured to removably snap into a desired position on the mouthguard tray with the lip engaged with the ridge of the mouthguard tray and the clip projection of the at least one clip arm inserted into at least one of the plurality of openings. Particular embodiments of the disclosure may include one or more of the following features. The plurality of textured structures may be configured to mechanically engage a mold within the mouthguard tray, the mold formed of a dental impression material. Positions of the two commissural supports with respect to the mouthguard tray may be adjustable. A position of a first commissural support of the two commissural supports with respect to the mouthguard tray is independent of a position of a second commissural support of the two commissural supports with respect to the mouthguard tray. The first commissural support and the second