In-Ear Proprioceptive for Relieving Temporomandibular Joint-Related Symptoms

• US 20150038871A1
• Filed: 08/02/2013
• Published: 02/05/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/02/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Ethos-United-I LLC
• Original Assignee: United Sciences LLC
• Inventors: Hatzilias, Karol Constantine, Patel, Mayoor, Sharpe, Wess Eric, Thompson, William Jacob
• Application Number:
  US13/958,171
• Publication Number:
  US 20150038871A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/546
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/11 Measuring movement of the entire body or parts thereof, e.g. head or hand tremor, mobility of a limb for measuring pulse A61B5/02 ;A61B5/1038 takes precedence; motion detection to correct for motion artifacts in physiological signals A61B5/721
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/24 Detecting, measuring or recording bioelectric or biomagnetic signals of the body or parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/388 Nerve conduction study, e.g. detecting action potential of peripheral nerves
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4542 Evaluating the mouth, e.g. the jaw
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4557 Evaluating bruxism
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6817 Ear canal
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7455 characterised by tactile indication, e.g. vibration or electrical stimulation
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/3099 for temporo-mandibular [TM, TMJ] joints endoprostheses for mandibular reconstruction A61F2/2803
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49 Method of mechanical manufacture

Abstract

An in-ear device with one or more proprioceptive features for providing an indication to a subject to help manage or reduce pain, discomfort, or other symptoms associated with TMJ disorder. In some embodiments, the one or more proprioceptive features are active and/or passive indicators. Also disclosed are methods of using optical scanning to create a three dimensional replication of the ear canal that is used to design a customized in-ear device.

Claims

1. A proprioceptive for reducing one or more symptoms associated with temporomandibular joint disorder, wherein the proprioceptive is selectively configured for insertion in a subject'"'"'s ear canal and comprises an indicator that projects from a surface of the proprioceptive at a customized angle based on the subject'"'"'s ear canal dimensions and shape, wherein the indicator provides a cue to the subject when the subject'"'"'s jaw moves past a predetermined limit on a range of motion of the jaw.

2. The proprioceptive of claim 1, wherein the proprioceptive is configured to substantially conform to the subject'"'"'s ear canal when the subject'"'"'s jaw is in a therapeutic position, wherein the therapeutic position is between an extreme closed position and an extreme open position of the jaw and wherein the therapeutic position is a position that reduces the one or more symptoms of the temporomandibular joint disorder.

3. The proprioceptive of claim 2, wherein the proprioceptive is configured to substantially deform the subject'"'"'s ear canal when the subject'"'"'s jaw is not in the therapeutic position.

4. The proprioceptive of claim 1, wherein the cue is generated by forces exerted by the indicator on the ear canal and wherein the cue is a physical sensation.

5. The proprioceptive of claim 1, wherein the indicator is compressible.

6. The proprioceptive of claim 1, wherein the indicator comprises a protrusion.

7. The proprioceptive of claim 6, wherein the protrusion is configured to align with either a first bend or a second bend of the subject'"'"'s ear canal.

8. The proprioceptive of claim 6, wherein the protrusion is configured based on demographics of the subject.

9. The proprioceptive of claim 6, wherein the protrusion is configured based on a three-dimensional optical scan of the subject'"'"'s ear canal.

10. The proprioceptive of claim 1, wherein the proprioceptive is configured to conform to the subject'"'"'s ear canal with a three-dimensional optical scan of the subject'"'"'s ear canal.

11. The proprioceptive of claim 1, wherein the indicator comprises a durometer and a flexural modulus that are selected based on particulars of the subject'"'"'s ear canal.

12. The proprioceptive of claim 1, wherein the proprioceptive includes a generally C-shaped interior cavity.

13. A custom in-ear device that substantially conforms to an ear canal of a subject having temporomandibular joint disorder when the subject'"'"'s jaw is in a therapeutic position, wherein the therapeutic position is a position free of one or more symptoms of temporomandibular joint disorder in the subject, wherein the in-ear device comprises:

a surface comprising at least one feature that is customized to the subject'"'"'s ear canal when the subject'"'"'s jaw is in the therapeutic position, wherein the at least one feature provides a sensory indication to the subject when the subject'"'"'s jaw moves past a predetermined limit in range of motion.

14. The custom in-ear device of claim 13, wherein the at least one feature comprises a protrusion that projects from the surface of the device at a customized angle.

15. The custom in-ear device of claim 14, wherein the protrusion is configured to align with either a first bend or a second bend of the subject'"'"'s ear canal.

16. The custom in-ear device of claim 13, wherein the at least one feature is compressible.

17. The custom in-ear device of claim 13, wherein the predetermined limit corresponds to a jaw position associated with clenching the jaw or grinding teeth.

18. The custom in-ear device of claim 13, wherein the predetermined limit corresponds to a jaw position associated with the one or more symptoms of the temporomandibular joint disorder.

19. The custom in-ear device of claim 13, wherein the in-ear device is configured to conform to the subject'"'"'s ear canal with a three-dimensional optical scan of the subject'"'"'s ear canal when the subject'"'"'s jaw is in the therapeutic position.

20. The custom in-ear device of claim 13, further comprising at least one sensor that generates a signal when the subject'"'"'s jaw moves past the predetermined limit.

21. The custom in-ear device of claim 20, wherein the at least one sensor comprises at least one force sensor that senses force on the subject'"'"'s ear canal associated with the movement of the subject'"'"'s jaw.

22. The custom in-ear device of claim 20, wherein the at least one sensor comprises at least one accelerometer that detects acceleration of the subject'"'"'s jaw.

23. The custom in-ear device of claim 20, wherein the at least one sensor is a voltage sensor that senses a voltage across the subject'"'"'s muscles or nerves.

24. The custom in-ear device of claim 20, wherein the signal is an auditory signal or a vibration.

25. The custom in-ear device of claim 20, wherein the in-ear device comprises a generally C-shaped interior cavity.

26. A method of manufacturing an in-ear device designed to generate proprioceptive cues in the ear of a subject having temporomandibular joint disorder, comprising:

customizing the in-ear device so it conforms to the subject'"'"'s ear canal when the subject'"'"'s jaw is in a therapeutic position, wherein the therapeutic position is a position free of one or more symptoms of the temporomandibular joint disorder; and

configuring at least one feature of the in-ear device so that the at least one feature provides a cue to the subject when the subject'"'"'s jaw moves past a predetermined limit in range of motion.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the predetermined limit corresponds to a jaw position associated with the one or more symptoms of the temporomandibular joint disorder.

28. The method of claim 26, further comprising providing a protrusion to a surface of the in-ear device at an angle that is selected based on the subject'"'"'s ear canal shape and dimensions.

29. The method of claim 28, further comprising providing a protrusion to a surface of the in-ear device at an angle that is selected based on the subject'"'"'s demographics.

30. The method of claim 26, further comprising:

optically scanning the subject'"'"'s ear canal to generate a three dimensional image based on the scan; and

configuring the in-ear device based on the generated image.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the subject'"'"'s jaw is in the therapeutic position during the scanning.

32. The method of claim 30, further comprising inserting a mechanical device into the subject'"'"'s ear canal to measure parameters of the subject'"'"'s ear canal and configuring the in-ear device based on the measured parameters.

33. A method of reducing symptoms of temporomandibular joint disorder in a subject comprising:

providing, by the in-ear device, a sensory indication to the subject that the subject'"'"'s jaw has moved past a predetermined limit in a range of motion.

34. The method of claim 33, further comprising:

determining, by an in-ear device, when the subject'"'"'s jaw moves past the predetermined limit, and

generating a signal by a sensor of the in-ear device when the subject'"'"'s jaw moves past the predetermined limit.

35. The method of claim 33, further comprising deforming the subject'"'"'s ear canal, by the in-ear device, when the subject'"'"'s jaw moves past the predetermined limit.

36. A method of reducing symptoms of temporomandibular joint disorder in a subject comprising:

providing, by the in-ear device, a sensory indication to the subject at predetermined intervals.

37. The method of claim 36, further comprising generating an auditory signal or vibration or both.

38. A proprioceptive for insertion in a subject'"'"'s ear canal, wherein the proprioceptive is configured to substantially deform the subject'"'"'s ear canal when the subject'"'"'s jaw is not in a therapeutic position, wherein the therapeutic position is between an extreme open position and an extreme closed position of the jaw and wherein the therapeutic position is a position free of one or more symptoms of temporomandibular joint disorder in the subject.