An intra-oral device used for people that snore or have sleep apnea is
designed to move a user's lower jaw forward relative to the user's
immovable upper jaw and to prevent the user's mouth from inadvertently
opening while sleeping. The device includes upper and lower appliances
fitted to the user's respective upper and lower dental arches. The lower
appliance possesses a partially embedded bracket. An adjustment element
is integrated into the upper portion of the bracket. With the user's
mouth closed and the upper and lower appliances positioned over the
user's respective dental arches, the adjustment element is moved rearward
by worm action into load bearing contact against the forward facing
immovable vertical contact wall of the upper appliance. This action moves
the lower appliance forward, and thus, the user's lower jaw with its
anatomically attached tongue are also moved forward relative to the mouth
which in turn opens the user's airway. Also, a forward facing horizontal
shoulder positioned at the lowest portion of the vertical contact wall
acts against the adjustment element to prevent the user's mouth from
opening while sleeping.