Before Acceledent, there have been a few techniques that have been used to accelerate orthodontics such as Wilckodontics and Propel. The principle of tooth movement is that there is a need for bone remodelling via osteoclasts (removing bone from surfaces of the teeth where they need to move) and osteoblasts (cells that build bone behind the tooth where it has moved from.) Wilckodontics is a periodontial procedure whereby the the gums are retracted and the bone around the teeth is purposefully scored, whereby causing bleeding. Teeth do move faster with this procedure, but the comfort aspect takes a backwards step, since it is quite painful. Propel works on a similar principle.
1st generation of Acceledent |
Acceledent is a product that has been used in Australia for about 4 years, in the USA for a bit over a year, and was just cleared for use in Canada in the spring of 2013. It is FDA approved as a Class 2 medical device. The claims are that treatment can be reduced by about 38-50%, based upon studies at two universities in Texas. It works by providing a pulsating vibration at a key frequency (30Hz) which has been shown to stimulate the bone remodelling process. Patients use it for just 20 minutes per day.
There is a possibility for faster treatment with braces and Invisalign aligners to be changed every 4-7 days, significantly decreasing the amount of treatment time required. Best of all, over the study of 1000s of patients, there have been no adverse effects, including no significant root resorption. Note that there are no longer term studies of this application in orthodontics, but similar principles have been in place in other medical fields for many years.
This is a very exciting possibility for patients at MCO Orthodontics who would like to have straight teeth with less discomfort and for a shorter amount of time. Look to MCO Orthodontics as your leader for fast Invisalign in Toronto.