Occlusal impression device

Claim 2

An occlusal impression device comprising: first impression means for defoaming in response to pressed engagement therewith; second impression means for deforming in response to pressed engagement therewith; and first and second support means for supporting said first and second impression means, respectively, said first and second support means being hingeably attached to one another to enable movement of the first and second impression means from a storage position in which the first and second impression means face one another with said first and second support means protecting said first and second impression means from impression, to an exposed position in which the first and second impression means face outwardly from one another ready for simultaneous impression by occlusion of mandible and maxilla teeth.

Claim 3

The occlusal impression device according to claim 1 further comprising means for aligning the first and second impression means with one another prior to simultaneous impressions by occlusion of mandible and maxilla teeth.

Claim 4

The occlusal impression device according to claim 2 wherein said means for aligning the first and second impression means comprises an identical exterior perimeter on of both the first and second impression means.

Claim 5

The occlusal impression device according to claim 1 wherein the first and second support means are formed from a single sheet of flexible material and a central portion of the flexible material function as a hinge.

Claim 6

The occlusal impression device according to claim 4 wherein the first impression means is sized for engagement with all of the mandible teeth and the second impression means is sized for engagement with all of the maxilla teeth.

Claim 7

The occlusal impression device according to claim 5 wherein the first impression means and first support means are flat, coplanar and have a mandibular arch shape and the second impression means and second support means are flat, coplanar and have a maxillary arch shape.

Claim 8

The occlusal impression device according to claim 6 wherein said first support means includes first grip means projecting outwardly from a central portion of the mandibular arch with a length sufficient to extend beyond the labia when the first impression means is inserted into a mouth in position for engagement with all of the mandible teeth, and said second support means includes second grip means projecting outwardly from a central portion of the maxillary arch with a length sufficient to extend beyond the labia when the second impression means is inserted into a position for engagement with all of the maxillary teeth.

Claim 9

The occlusal impression device according to claim 7 wherein the first grip means further comprises an extension of the first impression means and the second grip means further comprises an extension of the second impression means.

Claim 10

The occlusal impression device according to claim 8 wherein the first and second impression means and the first and second support means are mirror images of one another, respectively.

Claim 11

The occlusal impression device according to claim 9 wherein the hinge means is configured for enabling the first and second support means to abut one another when the first and second impression means are in the exposed position.

Claim 12

The occlusal impression device according to claim 10 wherein the first and second grip means are aligned with one another when the first and second impression means are in the exposed position and operative for enabling a user to hold the first and second impression means in the open position and simultaneously insert the first and second impression means into the mouth.

Claim 13

The occlusal impression device according to claim 11 wherein at least one of the first or second support means has a surface thereon capable of receiving handwritten indicia for recording the use of the occlusal device, said surface being disposed on an opposite side of the first or second support means than a side on which the first or second impression means is disposed, said surface being visible when the first and second impression means are in a storage position.

Claim 14

The occlusal impression device according to claim 12 wherein the first and second impression means comprise a wax.

Claim 15

An occlusal impression device comprising: first impression means for deforming in response to pressed engagement therewith; second impression means for deforming in response to pressed engagement therewith; and a continuous flexible sheet for aligning said first impression means and said second impression means with one another, said continuous flexible sheet having a first half comprising first support means for supporting said first impression means thereon and a second half comprising second support means for supporting said second impression means thereon, said first and second flexible sheet halves, respectively, including first and second grip means for placing the first and second impression means between mandible and maxilla teeth, said continuous flexible sheet being foldable between said first and second halves thereof to enable movement of the first and second impression means from a storage position in which the first and second impression means face one another with continuous flexible sheet protecting said first and second impression means from impression to an exposed position in which the first and second impression means face outwardly from one another ready for impression, said continuous flexible sheet enabling alignment of the first and second impression means in both the storage and open positions.

Claim 16

An occlusal impression device comprising: first impression means for deforming in response to pressed engagement therewith; second impression means for deforming in response to pressed engagement therewith; and a continuous flexible sheet for aligning said first impression means and said second impression means with one another, said continuous flexible sheet having a first half comprising first support means for supporting said first impression means thereon and a second half comprising second support means for supporting said second impression means thereon, said first and second flexible sheet halves, respectively, including first and second grip means for placing the first and second impression means between mandible and maxilla teeth, said continuous flexible sheet being foldable between said first and second halves thereof to enable movement of the first and second impression means from a storage position in which the first and second impression means face one another with continuous flexible sheet protecting said first and second impression means from impression to an exposed position in which the first and second impression means face outwardly from one another ready for impression, said continuous flexible sheet enabling alignment of the first and second impression means in both the storage and open positions.

Claim 17

The occlusal impression device according to claim 14 wherein the impression means and the support means are flat and coplanar and each has a mandibular or maxillary arch shape.

Claim 18

The occlusal impression device according to claim 15 wherein the first and second impression means are sized for engagement with all of the mandible and maxilla teeth, respectively.

Claim 19

The occlusal impression device according to claim 16 wherein said first and second grip means comprise an extension of said first and second support means, respectively, and project outwardly from a central position of the mandibular or maxillary arch with a length sufficient to extend beyond the labia when the impression means is inserted into a mouth in position for engagement with all of the mandible or maxilla teeth.

Claim 20

The occlusal impression device according to claim 17 wherein said first grip means further comprises an extension of the first impression means and said second grip means further comprises an extension of the second impression means.

Claim 21

The occlusal impression device according to claim 18 wherein the first and second impression means are mirror images of one another, respectively.

Claim 22

The occlusal impression device according to claim 19 wherein the first and second grip means are aligned with one another and abut one another when the first and second impression means are in the exposed position and are operative for enabling a user to hold the first and second impression means in the open position and simultaneously insert the first and second impression means into the mouth.

Claim 23

The occlusal impression device according to claim 20 wherein said continuous flexible sheet has a surface thereon capable of receiving handwritten indicia for recording the use of the occlusal appliance, said surface being disposed on an opposite side of the said continuous flexible sheet than a side on which the first and second impression means are disposed, said surface being visible when the first and second impression means are in a storage position.

Claim 24

The occlusal impression device according to claim 21 wherein the first and second impression means comprise a wax.