US-20260124496-A1 - THERAPEUTIC DEVICE

US20260124496A1US 20260124496 A1US20260124496 A1US 20260124496A1US-20260124496-A1

Abstract

A therapeutic device may include an upper section, which may include an aperture, and a lower section, which may be connected to a bottom end of the upper section. The lower section may extend generally longitudinally from the upper section. The therapeutic device may include one or more textured sections on at least a portion of the upper section and/or the lower section. The therapeutic device may include a measurement scale disposed on at least a portion of the upper section and/or the lower section, and the measurement scale may span at least a portion of a length of the upper section and/or the lower section.

Inventors

Cynthia Peterson

Dates

Publication Date: 20260507
Application Date: 20251031

Claims (20)

1 . A therapeutic device, comprising: an upper section having an aperture; a lower section connected to a bottom end of the upper section, the lower section extending longitudinally from the upper section; one or more textured sections disposed on the upper section or the lower section; and a measurement scale disposed on the upper section or the lower section.
2 . The therapeutic device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more textured sections are disposed on a top surface or a bottom surface of the upper section.
3 . The therapeutic device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more textured sections are disposed on a bottom surface or a top surface of the lower section.
4 . The therapeutic device of claim 1 , wherein the measurement scale spans at least a portion of the length of the lower section.
5 . The therapeutic device of claim 1 , wherein the measurement scale is disposed on a top surface of the lower section or a bottom surface of the lower section.
6 . The therapeutic device of claim 1 , wherein the upper section or the lower section includes a channel.
7 . The therapeutic device of claim 1 , wherein the lower section or the upper section has rounded edges.
8 . The therapeutic device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more textured sections includes at least one protrusion.
9 . The therapeutic device of claim 1 , wherein the therapeutic device further includes a strap connected to the upper section.
10 . A method of therapy comprising: providing a therapeutic device, the therapeutic device including: an upper section having an aperture; a lower section connected to a bottom end of the upper section, the lower section extending longitudinally from the upper section; and a measurement scale disposed on the upper section or the lower section; and determining, with the therapeutic device, at least one of a cranial, cervical, or orofacial characteristic.
11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the at least one of the cranial, cervical, and/or orofacial cranial cervical-orofacial characteristic includes at least one of: facial height, facial width, facial height-ratios, maxillary and/or mandibular width, depth, and/or height, maxillary tilt/cant, maxillary arch width, overbite, overjet, tongue length, tongue width, tongue height, lower anterior facial height, molar-vertical distance, inter-labial gap, philtrum length, hyoid-to-mentum, indicator line, vertical opening, canine-to-canine, molar-to-incisor, incisor-to-incisor, incisor show, open bite, intermolar distance, intercanine distances, retrusion, interpupillary distance, lateral protrusion, jaw protrusion, jaw retrusion, tongue range of motion, a nasal measurement, an oral measurement, an ocular measurement, anterior arch length, palatal depth, or palatal length.
12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the determination of the cranial, cervical, and/or orofacial characteristic is made using the measurement scale.
13 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising: performing an oral facial exercise with the therapeutic device.
14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the oral facial exercise further comprises: holding the lower section between an upper lip and a lower lip; closing the upper lip and the lower lip around the lower section; and nose-breathing.
15 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the oral facial exercise includes inserting at least a portion of a tongue into the aperture.
16 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the oral facial exercise includes biting down on at least a portion of the lower section or the upper section, wherein at least one bottom molar, bottom bicuspid, bottom cuspid, or bottom incisor contacts one side of the lower section or the upper section, and at least one top molar, top bicuspid, top cuspid, or top incisor contacts an opposite side of the upper section or the lower section.
17 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the oral facial exercise includes chewing the upper section or the lower section.
18 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the oral facial exercise further comprises at least one of: holding the lower section under an upper lip; and rolling the lower section in an upwards direction to curl the upper lip upwards; or holding the lower section under a lower lip; and rolling the lower section in a downward direction to curl the lower lip downwards.
19 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the oral facial exercise includes moving the lower section or the upper section within a mouth of an individual.
20 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the oral facial exercise further comprises at least one of: holding the lower section between teeth; and opening a nostril while holding the lower section between the teeth; or holding the lower section between an upper lip and a lower lip; and puckering the upper lip and the lower lip around the lower section.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This patent application claims priority to and the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 63/715,473, entitled THERAPEUTIC AND MEASUREMENT TOOL, filed Nov. 1, 2024, which is incorporated by reference in its entirety. FIELD The present disclosure generally relates to a therapeutic device. BACKGROUND Chronic mouth breathing during active cranial, cervical, and/or orofacial development of a child may result in anatomical, functional, physiological, and/or neuroplastic changes directly affecting the airway. Lack of use of the nasal airway may lead to an underdeveloped airway neuroplasticity and underdeveloped supporting structures. For example, mouth breathing may cause dysfunctional growth and development, cranial, cervical, and/or orofacial abnormalities including nasal disuse, malocclusions, underdeveloped jaws, and an elongated facial profile. The anatomical and/or neuroplastic changes caused by mouth breathing may result in greater airway instability and collapsibility that may lead to problems later in life such as sleep-disorder breathing, upper-airway resistance, under-ventilation of the nose, deviation of the septum, hypoxia, chronic dry mouth, temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorder, and/or poor airway and skeletal development. Mouth breathing may also adversely impact behavioral health, mental health, metabolic health, cardiovascular health, oral systemic health, digestive health, respiratory health, and/or neuromuscular health. Establishing nasal-breathing at an early age may be beneficial for growth and development, particularly cranial-orofacial development because, by six years of age, over half of the adult facial features are typically developed and restoring nasal-breathing in adults may be difficult due to nasal disuse. Influencing nasal-breathing in children and adults may be performed by developing good breathing habits like closing the mouth, sealing the lips, and/or elevating the tongue. These practices may help influence neuroplasticity and/or reshape cranial, cervical, and/or orofacial features in children and adults. Conventional techniques for developing lip seal to develop nasal-breathing may include utilizing nightguards or chewing tools. Other known techniques may include holding popsicle sticks, straws, or sticky notes between the lips, or even taping the lips shut. Craniofacial development and progress may be monitored by measuring cranial, cervical, and/or orofacial features. These measurements may be performed by utilizing rulers, goniometers, and/or Boley gauges. The subject matter claimed is not necessarily limited to embodiments that solve any disadvantages or that operate only in environments such as those described above. Rather, this background is only provided to illustrate one example technology area where some embodiments described in the present disclosure may be practiced. SUMMARY This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This Summary is not intended to identify key features or essential characteristics of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter. Mouth breathing may have adverse impacts in many different health areas. Thus, developing nasal-breathing may have profound health benefits. Current techniques and tools to develop nasal breathing are makeshift, and the exercises that may be performed with these makeshift devices are substantially limited. Additionally, these techniques pose risks, especially for children, in that the tools utilized may dangerously limit oral breathing when the upper airway has some degree of blockage and/or are not designed for intraoral use. Furthermore, these techniques are not capable of measuring and assessing cranial, cervical, and/or orofacial characteristics around the face, mouth, nose, jaw, neck, and head. Moreover, these tools are used without any retention, and, as a result, the tools may be easily dropped on the ground and/or come into contact with surfaces that may introduce germs to the device. This may result in limited reusability of the tools and/or frequent cleanings of the tools otherwise individuals using these tools may be introduced to various germs. Tools that are capable of measuring and assessing cranial, cervical, or orofacial characteristics are not designed for intraoral use. For example, the tools used may have sharp corners or parts that are uncomfortable and may even injure the user. Some of these instruments may also be difficult to employ with young children. In addition, these measurement tools are not capable of providing measurements while oral facial exercises and/or other therapeutic exercises are being performed nor are the measurement tools designed to be used for oral facial exercises and/or other therapeutic exercises. Accordingly, there is a need for an improved therapeutic de