US 12167948

US Patent 12,167,948: Dental Mouthpiece Overview

Title: Dental mouthpiece
Assignee: Solmetex LLC (Current Assignee)
Inventors: Thien Nguyen, Tam Thanh Pham, Ethan Nguyen, Lauren Nguyen
Filing Date: October 3, 2023
Issue Date: December 17, 2024 (Publication date and Application granted date)
Abstract: A dental mouthpiece is provided that may be attached to a high-suction dental adapter for the purpose of assisting the dental staff during dental procedures through chair-side, hands-free suction, and isolation. Such a mouthpiece may comprise a main body portion, a cheek retractor portion, and a suction connector portion. In an embodiment, the main body portion, cheek retractor portion, and suction connector portion may be molded in one piece, preferably by injection molding. The main body portion has an anterior wall inside the curve and a posterior wall outside the curve, and at least one connector connecting the anterior wall and the posterior wall. The main body portion has an anterior intervening wall and the posterior intervening wall in between the anterior and posterior walls. The anterior intervening wall and the posterior intervening walls have alternating crests and troughs.

Independent Claims Overview:

Independent Claim 1:
This claim describes a mouthpiece that includes a main body portion, a suction connector portion, and a cheek retractor portion. The main body portion has a first wall and a second wall separated by an interior space. Crucially, the first wall includes at least one intervening wall with a ridged edge, where the ridges extend different distances partially across the space between the first and second walls. The suction connector portion extends from one end of the main body and has an evacuation conduit leading into the interior space. The cheek retractor portion is connected to the other end of the main body portion.

Independent Claim 20:
This claim also describes a mouthpiece with a main body portion, a suction connector portion, and a cheek retractor portion. The main body portion features a first wall with two edges and a second wall spaced from the first wall, defining an interior space. The first wall's two edges have a ridged configuration with multiple ridges extending different distances partially across the space between the walls. These two edges of the first wall are unconnected to the second wall, and the ridges form an "open-meshed configuration" to facilitate the suction of fluids from a patient's mouth into the interior space. The suction connector portion and cheek retractor portion function similarly to Claim 1.

Independent Claim 23:
This claim focuses on a mouthpiece similar to Claim 20, including a main body portion with a ridged, open-meshed first wall and a second wall defining an interior space for fluid suction, and a suction connector portion. The key difference in this claim is that instead of a separate cheek retractor portion, it specifies a "neck that extends from the second end of the main body portion."

CAFC 2026 Dockets:

A search of the CAFC 2026 dockets did not reveal any specific litigation involving US patent 12167948. The search results provided general information about the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit and its scheduled cases for June 2026, but no cases directly referencing this patent number were identified.