What is OrthoPulse and how does OrthoPulse accelerate the Orthodontic tooth movement?
OrthoPulse is a Class II on-prescription a mouthpiece medical device approved by the FDA.
It uses the phenomenon of photo-bio-modulation (PBM) by emission of low-intensity light (850 nm +/− 80 nm) to facilitate bone remodelling.
Photo-bio-modulation is a mechanism by which different types of tissues are influenced:
- At a cellular level, PBM stimulates mitochondrial activity by promoting the ATP synthesis, cell proliferation while reducing the oxidative stress.
- At a vascular level, PBM stimulates angiogenesis by increasing the endothelial cells while increasing the vasodilation.
- In non-mineralised tissues, PBM increases the synthesis of type I collagen, fibroblasts, and fibronectin.
- In mineralised tissues, PBM increases synthesis of osteoclasts and osteocalcin while enhancing osteoclastic activity and alkaline phosphatases (ALP) production.
- At the immune system level, PBM increases production of transforming growth factors (TGFs) and basic fibroblast growth factors (b.FGF).
What is Red Light Therapy, or Photo-Bio-Modulation (PBM) used in OrthoPulse?
The Red Laser Light is administered for the therapeutic effect of Photobiomodulation (PBM), also known as Low-Level-Laser-Therapy (LLLT).
Red wavelength of ca. 660 nm is emitted on the skin or mucosal barrier. Once it penetrates and is absorbed by cells. It initiates physiological reactions within mitochondria.
Photobiomodulation has been long used for the treatment of temporomandibular joint dysfunction (TMJD), TMJ pain, muscle pain, mouth opening restriction, burning mouth-syndrome, wound healing and dentin hyper-sensitivity.
Why OrthoPulse is a superior device in holistic accelerated Orthodontics?
- The preliminary retrospective clinical studies of OrthoPulse reveals an increase in the predictability of orthodontic Invisalign treatment.
- The OrthoPulse App can remotely track the level of the patient’s compliance.
- There is an evidence of clinically relevant reduction in the number of adjunctive aligners during the course of orthodontic refinement which increases the accuracy and prediction of the Invisalign treatment.
- There is a relevant clinical evidence that patients who implemented the adjunct use of OrthoPulse required a reduced number of finishing aligners
- The clinical studies indicate that OrthoPulse would increase the predictability of orthodontic treatment with clear aligners, thus reducing the number of Refinement aligners required.
How OrthoPulse is used?
OrthoPulse is used on a daily basis for 10 minutes during the entire duration of the orthodontic treatment.
How safe is the use of OrthoPulse?
According to the literature, the predictability provided by supporting instruments, such as the CC, is far from 100%. Approximately 70–80% of patients require additional aligners over and above those predetermined by the CC in order to complete the treatment.
What factors influence on the predictability of the clear aligner treatment?
- The predictability of clear aligner treatments is strongly influenced by the patient compliance,
- The type of teeth movements: It has been shown that the predictability for tooth extrusion is ca. 30%; for tooth rotation is ca. 36%; for tooth intrusion is ca. 46%, for mesiodistal tooth tipping is ca. 46%; for tooth lingual vestibule movement is ca. 49%; for tooth alignment is ca. 78%, and for distalization of the upper molar is ca. 88%). These predictability variances are due to the biomechanical complexity and the difficulty of the dental movements by aligners.
- The more complex the case the more aligners are required
- The greater the wave- length, the less tooth movement.
- Factors such as the light wavelength, the thickness of the target tissue, the degree of the keratinization and pigmentation, may determine the depth of light penetration.