All you need to know about accelerated orthodontics and how it can help you

Over the years, a growing number of adults have been seeking convenient and quick ways to straighten their teeth. As a response, different techniques have been introduced to address this request and speed up your orthodontic treatment.

Dr Moira Wong, a leading orthodontist based in London, explains to us what accelerated orthodontics is and how it can help you to fix your teeth without affecting your busy lifestyle!

What is accelerated orthodontics?

Accelerated orthodontics is the best method to increase the rate of tooth movement and hence reduce the duration of orthodontic treatment with the least possible disadvantages.

Adults who want their teeth straightened, often don’t want to wear braces for the estimated 18 months, so we can reduce this time. The reduction will vary from patient to patient. Instead of adjusting the braces once a month, the braces are adjusted twice a month.
 

How effective is accelerated orthodontics in comparison with traditional orthodontic treatment?

Accelerated orthodontics is a combination of regular orthodontic treatment (with whichever type of fixed brace your orthodontist has prescribed) with a surgical procedure called piezocision.
 

Piezocision is carried out under a local anaesthetic whilst you are awake, the gum is numbed with a small local anaesthetic injection. Once the gums are numb, 3mm cuts are made between the roots of the teeth using an ultrasonic instrument.

Recovery is usually uneventful and patients are often unaware of any discomfort after 3-5 days. The application of light pressure by orthodontic braces onto teeth induces a cellular response in the ligament around the teeth which brings about tooth movement with the activation of bone cells called osteoclasts.

The surgical procedure causes an increase in the speed of the bone remodelling and this results in faster tooth movement. Sometimes the surgical procedure can be repeated in a course of orthodontic therapy.
 

Who can benefit from accelerated orthodontics?

The main disadvantage previously was that the surgical procedure was very invasive. Now the technique has been refined and newer surgical methods have arrived, which achieve the same results of accelerated tooth straightening without long recovery times and invasiveness.
 

Anyone with healthy gum tissues and healthy bone around their teeth is suitable for accelerated orthodontics.
 

Are there any drawbacks?

This is a relatively new treatment so there are no long term studies. However, the principle of using surgical procedures to increase bone cellular activity and accelerate tooth straightening have been used for many years. The newer and more refined surgical techniques have the advantage of a quick recovery and less invasive surgery.
 

What are some other ways of accelerating treatment?

Historically there have been other more invasive surgical techniques suggested with little uptake due to the long recovery times.
 

AcceleDent has also been marketed as an appliance that delivers vibration impulses to the teeth, but success at reducing treatment times has been questionable.

If you are interested in any of the procedures mentioned in this article, head to Dr Moira Wong ’s Top Doctors profile and book an appointment with her.