Light Accelerated Orthodontics
Sometimes you just want instant gratification, whether that means taking the cookies out of the oven a bit early to enjoy one, or hitting that snooze button one more time.
If you’ve considered orthodontic treatment in the past, but were put off thinking about how much time it would take, you should look into accelerated orthodontics, which offer a faster treatment schedule, thanks to additional tools used in conjunction with your braces or Invisalign® aligners.
OrthoPulse® is an established device that uses low levels of light energy to stimulate the bone surrounding the roots of your teeth and facilitate tooth movement which may reduce treatment time for braces or clear aligners.
OrthoPulse® is the first device of its kind cleared by the FDA for use with both braces or clear aligners.
Science Behind OrthoPulse®
Over 50% of the light we receive from the sun is in the near infrared (nIR) spectrum; we cannot see it, but we can feel it as warmth on our skin. The nIR light encourages cell metabolism and creates an increase in chemical energy that can be used by the body to heal, regenerate and reduce inflammation and pain.
OrthoPulse® uses this same natural light (low intensity nIR), to gently deliver energy to the bone and tissues around the tooth roots. That energy then helps to remodel the surrounding bone and facilitate tooth movement.
The energy contained in the Orthpulse® light is absorbed by mitochondrial enzymes in the cells and converted to chemical energy (ATP).
The increased ATP energy now becomes available to facilitate tooth movement.
Photobiomodulation in orthodontics is an exciting next frontier for our profession. More research is needed to understand if light energy can accelerated orthodontic tooth movement efficently.
