- 3D-printed braces involve placing two LED lights and one battery on each tooth
- Batteries power the lights, which are programmed to suit each tooth’s needs
- Light therapy enhances bone regeneration, which may reduce time and costs
- The batteries are proven to last with continued use and do not leak into mouths
- As a testament to their safety, human kidney cells grown on the batteries thrived
New flashy dental braces that include lights and a battery on every tooth, could cut the time and costs involved in straightening teeth.
The 3D-printed, semi-transparent braces involve placing two LED lights and one non-toxic lithium battery on every tooth.
The batteries provide energy to power the LEDs, which are programmed by a dentist to provide light therapy according to each tooth’s needs.
Light therapy enhances bone regeneration, which may therefore reduce the time and subsequent cost involved in realigning teeth.
The batteries are proven to last with continued use and do not leak into the mouth.
Braces that include lights and a battery on every tooth could cut orthodontic time and costs
Light therapy enhances bone regeneration to speed up teeth realignment (stock)
‘A smart dental brace’
Researchers from King Abdullah University of Science and Technology in Saudi Arabia devised the technology.
Study author Dr Muhammad Hussain said: ‘We started embedding flexible LEDs inside 3D-printed braces, but they needed a reliable power supply.
‘After the incidents with the Samsung Galaxy 7 batteries exploding, we realised that traditional batteries in their current form don’t serve our purpose.
‘So we redesigned the state-of-the-art lithium-ion battery technology into a flexible battery, followed by biosafe encapsulation, within the braces to make a smart dental brace.’
Proven to be safe
The batteries, which are removable and can be recharged, are flexible and just 1.7-2.25mm thick.
They are also surrounded by soft materials that prevent them leaking into the mouth.
As a testament to their safety, when human kidney cells were cultured on the batteries for several days, the cells thrived and multiplied.
Tests also reveal the batteries’ power remains high even after continued brace use.
It is unclear when such braces may be available as further scientific studies are required.
The LEDs are powered by batteries and programmed by dentists to suit each tooth’s needs