A new vibrating device that speeds up the teeth straightening process and looks set to revolutionise orthodontics has been fully launched across the UK.
It follows a successful limited market release of AcceleDent last October.
The AcceleDent system, created in the States, is a simple, removable dental device that patients place in the mouth for 20 minutes daily.
It produces a gentle vibrational force that enhances the pressure applied by braces.
It has been clinically proven to safely speed up orthodontic tooth movement.
The product is hands-free and allows the user flexibility to carry out most routine tasks during use.
The acceleration of the natural resorption of old bone and the depositing of new bone cells is therefore increased.
The system is currently being sold to select orthodontic specialists in the UK, where it was introduced last year through a limited market release programme.
Approximately 20 orthodontic specialists participated in the evaluation programme, which the company used as an important learning experience.
The device is based on research from Dr Jeremy Mao's laboratory in the late 1990s and early 2000s when he was at the University of Illinois Chicago.
AcceleDent, which is a regulated medical device and only available to dental professionals to prescribe to their patients, will feature at the British Orthodontic Conference (BOC) in Brighton this month (19-22 September).
Mike Kaufman, VP marketing and business development at OrthoAccel, says: ‘The controlled UK introduction has provided an invaluable opportunity to experience customer purchasing preferences and marketing approaches to incorporate AcceleDent into the orthodontic treatment plan.
'The ability to intimately dialogue with these early adopter orthodontists has yielded several product refinements, which have already been implemented.
'These orthodontists are very encouraged by the results they are seeing and in general have been able to move through the treatment plan at a quicker pace.'
Patients have reported using the device while doing homework, watching TV and reading.
The vibrating force has been described as ‘very light' and one patient remarked: ‘The pulsing feels like a gentle massage for my teeth and gums – and I look forward to it every evening.'
Previous research suggests the overall treatment time required to realign teeth could be reduced by approximately 50%.
Researchers at the University of Illinois were the first to discover that mild vibration accelerates bone remodelling – and similar vibrating technology is already being used to treat osteoporosis and heal some types of bone fracture.
The company has now reported plans to host a gathering at the BOC in Brighton for the group of early-user orthodontic specialists, in order to review patient case progress and other insights.
OrthoAccel is anticipating the conclusion of another US clinical trial at the UT Health Science Center in San Antonio with a target completion date later in 2010.
From: Dentistry.co.uk
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