GAINESVILLE, Fla. – University of Florida dentistry student, Guneshi de Mel moved from Sri Lanka to study dentistry in the United States.
"I grew up in a country that didn't have a lot of these things, and um dental care wasn't emphasized in my life, you know, growing up," she said.
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Today Guneshi is passionate about helping other get the care they need. She has been on four medical mission trips to Guatemala.
"They are so grateful and they are so happy to see that someone else came from so far away to help them out," she explained.
Guneshi knows how important oral health is for herself, too. She was one of the first patients to try this device, with her oral aligner.
The AcceleDent device can move teeth faster for people with braces. It uses gentle micropulses to remodel bones.
"The patient uses the device daily. They'll have their braces put on and they'll start right then," explained Timothy Wheeler, DMD, PhD, from the College of Dentistry at the University of Florida.
Wheeler is conducting a study to determine if the AcceleDent device will work for people with clear aligners, like Guneshi. He's looking to see if it can reduce treatment, time and pain in these patients.
"Obviously patients would love that," Wheeler said.
"It's just a small pulse of vibration. It doesn't hurt. It's not uncomfortable," Guneshi said.
So far,she is happy with her results and she hopes to keep bringing smiles to others as well.
The AcceleDent device is rechargeable and logs how often the patient uses it, so the doctor can see. It costs about $1,000 and is typically not covered by insurance. On average, patients have to wear braces about 18 months without the AcceleDent device.
Additional Information:
Almost 5 million people are wearing braces in the Unites States alone. In 2008, the American Association of Orthodontists found that about 78 percent of the people wearing braces were less than 18 years old. The most common time to have braces is between the ages of 9 and 14 years old. Braces are offered in the traditional form of metal wires and are also offered now in the form of clear aligners.
(Source: https://www.sharecare.com/health/orthodontic-braces/how-common-metal-braces-children)
ACCELEDENT: With AcceleDent, the patient is still required to get ordinary braces put on. AcceleDent isn't an alternative to braces but instead a way to speed up the traditional length of time braces take. AcceleDent works by putting a mouth piece around your braces for about 20 minutes a day. This works by the mouthpiece pulsing. This movement can decrease the length of time braces are needed to be left on. It can also help make your braces feel more comfortable. This technology works by changing the bones around your teeth. This process causes this to happen faster than with braces and your teeth move much quicker. AcceleDent was introduced in 2009 and has been prescribed to thousands of patients around the world. It was also cleared by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA). AcceleDent is only available if it is prescribed by your orthodontist. It however isn't covered by insurance and can cost an extra $1,000.
(Source: http://acceledent.com/how-it-works/)
ACCELEDENT AND CLEAR ALIGNMENTS: AcceleDent is now able to be used with Invisalign or other clear alignments. With this clear form of braces you are usually required to wear trays in your mouth every couple of weeks and then switch. However, when used with AcceleDent your time is cut in half. This means these trays can be worn for about half as long and the patient doesn't have to worry about discoloration or dirtiness. Convenience is the key factor with AcceleDent. It is meant to shorten the overall length of having braces and only takes 20 minutes of time each day to use.
(Source: http://www.realself.com/review/lone-tree-invisalign-acceledent)