Oral retainer device for dysphagia treatment

ChangeBridge: Patent Apps - Prosthetics (A61F)

Published August 31st, 2023

Detected March 27th, 2026

Summary

The USPTO has published a new patent application (US20260083585A1) for an oral retainer device designed to treat dysphagia by limiting tongue movement during sleep. The application, filed by TONGUE LAB EUROPE LTD, details a method involving nightly wear of the device for 2-18 months and monitoring tongue strength.

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What changed

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has published a new patent application, US20260083585A1, detailing an oral retainer device for treating dysphagia. The device is designed to be worn nightly by patients to limit tongue movement during sleep, with the goal of increasing tongue strength over a period of 2 to 18 months. The application specifies monitoring tongue pressure as an indicator of treatment benefit.

This publication represents a new patent application and does not impose immediate regulatory obligations on healthcare providers or medical device manufacturers. However, it signifies potential innovation in dysphagia treatment. Companies involved in developing or manufacturing oral appliances and dysphagia treatment devices should be aware of this patent filing as it may impact future product development and intellectual property landscapes.

Source document (simplified)

← USPTO Patent Applications

ORAL USE OF AN IN-MOUTH WEARABLE DEVICE IN THE TREATMENT OF DYSPHAGIA

Application US20260083585A1 Kind: A1 Mar 26, 2026

Assignee

TONGUE LAB EUROPE LTD

Inventors

Ryosuke Yanagida, Haruka Tohara, Jean-Michel Mauclaire, Koji Hara

Abstract

Disclosed is a method for treating dysphagia comprising: fitting a patient afflicted with dysphagia with a TRP oral retainer-based device having an arch for limiting movement of the patient's tongue, the device to be worn by the patient at night starting at about bedtime and during sleep, preferably for at least 8 hours; providing instructions to the patient to wear the device nightly for a period of time from about 2 to about 18 months (the wearing period) as indicated; monitoring the patient's tongue pressure at one or more time points during the wearing period, wherein an increase in tongue strength, as measured for example by tongue pressure (TP) compared to baseline or compared to a prior monitoring time point during the wearing period, indicates that the patient receives a benefit from wearing the device. An increase in tongue strength has been shown to correlate closely with reducing oropharyngeal dysphagia and its attendant symptoms and pathologies.