Lip shield and treatment device

Claim 1

An improved lip shield adapted for comfortable and effective mounting on a single human lip, said human lip characterized as having an exterior vermilion surface ending at the vermilion border, an intra-oral surface ending at the vermilion-mucosal border, and a generally U-shaped horseshoe configured cross-section with said cross-section having a maximum width along an imaginary line connecting the point on said cross-section representing said vermilion border to the point on said cross-section representing said vermilion-mucosal border, said improved lip shield comprising a one-piece member having a first leg means for covering said exterior vermilion surface of said lip, a second leg means for covering said intra-oral surface of said lip, and further having a generally U-shaped horseshoe configured cross-section corresponding to said lip cross-section with the maximum distance between said first and second leg means being measured along an imaginary line connecting the point on said shield cross-section that covers said lip vermilion border to the point on said shield cross-section that covers said lip vermilion-mucosal border when said shield is mounted on said lip, said shield cross-section having first, second, and third portions, said first portion located on one side of said imaginary line representing the maximum distance between said first and second leg means and said second and third portions located on the other side of said imaginary maximum distance line and wherein the distance between any two points on respective first and second leg means located on said first portion of said shield cross-section is less than said maximum distance, and wherein the distance between any point on said first leg means located on said second portion and any point on said second leg means located on said third portion is less than said maximum distance.