A new device has just been approved by the FDA for use with braces, which cuts down on total brace time. The AcceleDent system is worn for 20 minutes each day and vibrates the teeth into place.

Let’s face it. Some things are just plain easier for kids today. Want to ask someone to the school dance without feeling so awkward? Just use your thumbs. Need to do research for a school paper? Just pick your search engine.

But perhaps my biggest tech envy to date can be found in the newly FDA-cleared AcceleDent system, a device that, when worn just 20 minutes a day, can dramatically speed up orthodontic tooth movement.

Traditionally, dental braces reshape the positioning of one’s teeth by applying force to them. The AcceleDent device, worn with braces, simply speeds up tooth movement by vibrating them 20 minutes a day. (Insert inappropriate middle school joke here.)

In a randomized, controlled clinical trial out of the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, this vibration accelerated tooth movement by 106 percent during the initial alignment phase, and then 38 to 50 percent later, all without any adverse events.

When considering the mechanics of movement, a simple mouth vibrator makes a certain kind of sense. Whether your… continue reading

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