- Title: ISRAEL: Israeli company gives orthodontics new bite
- Date: 29th January 2014
- Summary: IMAGE OF PLASTER MOLD OF TEETH AS SEEN ON COMPUTER SCREEN WORKER SITTING IN FRONT OF COMPUTER, ROTATING IMAGE ON SCREEN COMPUTER SCREEN SHOWING GRAPHIC SIMULATION OF TEETH MOVEMENT TO DESIRED POSITION
- Embargoed: 13th February 2014 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Israel
- Country: Israel
- Topics: Science
- Reuters ID: LVABZKFBE3CVNM0W7XR1GC0GPT43
- Story Text: An Israeli device that provides nighttime orthodontic treatment may offer a much-desired alternative to patients who suffer or are put off by the current aesthetic and hygienic downsides of unsightly metal braces or plastic aligners.
The "Aerodentis" system, developed by Israeli company "Dror Orthodesign", comprises a personal mouthpiece with an inflatable silicon balloon that is connected to a small control console. The balloon receives natural air pulses from the console and gradually pushes the teeth into their desired position as designed on the custom-made mouth piece.
Company Chief Technology Officer Tal Lotan says the system relies on the same bio mechanical principles of traditional orthodontics - applying force to realign a patient's teeth. But the Aerodentis system uses air pulses to do this gradually and painlessly and it is more effective than the constant force applied by metal braces or plastic aligners which need to be periodically re-adjusted, he says.
"Unlike any other treatment that uses constant force, we are using pulsating force. Pulsating force used during the nighttime while the patient sleeps and that way it's the most aesthetic treatment because there is nothing on the patient's teeth all day," Lotan said.
Because the system is more efficient, a patient requires only about 10 hours per day of active treatment and this can be done while resting or sleeping, allowing far more discretion.
"When a patient turns the system on, there is a silicon balloon inside that inflates. And while the balloon inflates it pushes the teeth along the path to the final position, the final design position. So that's actually the treatment. When he wakes up in the morning he just turns off the system, take it off and that's it," Lotan said.
He added that Aerodentis is also safer than traditional solutions since it allows the patient to maintain a higher degree of dental hygiene without chafing the gums.
Dr. Idit Barkana, a specialist in Orthodontics who has used the Aerodentis system to treat patients, praised the control possibilities it gives the dentist.
"This is the only system that I can control the amount of force which is being applied to the teeth and it's very important for me as a doctor, as an orthodontist to know the amount of force which is being applied," she said.
The patient can also control the pace of the treatment by simply using the device for more hours per day.
Juliette Eliyahu, a dental patient who used braces in the past and currently undergoes the Aerodentis treatment, said she can smile, at last.
"This system is mainly very comfortable. I can really put it on only at nighttime, only when I'm a asleep. I used to have braces and I know how it is, it was very difficult to go through the day, while eating, speaking, smiling, it wasn't possible in this previous situation. With this method I can actually smile, eat, keep dental hygiene, there is nothing that bothers me in any way," she said.
Aerodentis is owned by "Dror Orthodesign", a privately held company which was founded in 2004. The founders, Orit and Michael Nadav, said the development of the system lasted seven years and was launched on the market a year and a half ago.
The company said Aerodentis system is CE-approved and is currently in commercial use in Israel and Europe.
The cost of a treatment with Aerodentis, which usually lasts between 4-18 months, ranges between $5,000-$8,000, the company said. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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