While most of my patients are too young to remember the hit song “Good Vibrations” by the Beach Boys, the title fittingly describes the technology used to help cut down on the treatment time associated with traditional braces and Invisalign clear aligners therapy.
Introduced in 2012 to the U.S. market, AcceleDent initially was designed to be used with braces. In my practice, we use it almost exclusively with Invisalign.
How does it work? The patient bites on a mouthpiece that stimulates the ligament and the bone around the roots of the teeth, which produces gentle vibrations, or micropulses, that speeds up tooth movement to about twice the normal speed. It is used for 20 minutes daily at home during orthodontic treatment.
This prescription-only medical device enhances movements directed by the orthodontist, which can result in 35 to 45 percent less treatment time. And it is also clinically shown to reduce discomfort that may be associated with orthodontic treatment because the stimulation of the ligament and bone, masks the pressure of the braces or aligners.
In the digital era, it seems like everything is ready at the push of a bottom, but when it comes to straightening teeth, it still takes time. With AcceleDent, however, we can shorten the treatment time significantly.
