CPC A61F 5/566 (2013.01) [A61F 5/08 (2013.01)] | 18 Claims |
1. An oral appliance device for use within a human mouth, the human mouth including a tongue, the oral appliance device comprising:
an appliance member that selectively engages teeth within the human mouth, the appliance member including an occlusal surface and a lingual surface;
a first tongue positioner that is configured to position the tongue more anteriorly within the human mouth, the first tongue positioner being removably and directly secured to the lingual surface; and
a second tongue positioner that is configured to adjust positioning of the tongue, the second tongue positioner being spaced apart from the first tongue positioner, the second tongue positioner being removably and directly secured to the lingual surface; and
a first positioner receiver that is configured to receive the first tongue positioner, the first positioner receiver including a first receiver extension that is couplable to the lingual surface, the first positioner receiver being configured to retain the first tongue positioner, the first tongue positioner including a first appliance engager that engages the first positioner receiver so that the first positioner receiver retains the first tongue positioner, the first appliance engager including a slot that slidably engages the first receiver extension so that the first tongue positioner is removably coupled to the appliance member, the first positioner receiver including a locking mechanism, the first appliance engager further including an engager extension that is configured to be positioned within the slot so that the engager extension selectively engages the locking mechanism;
wherein the tongue positioners are configured to extend from the lingual surface toward one another.
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