The Effect of AcceleDent on Arch Alignment and Pain Level During Orthodontic Treatment with SureSmile

Introduction: The purpose of this randomized controlled trial was to evaluate the effect of AcceleDent Aura device on maxillary and mandibular arch alignment and pain during orthodontic treatment with SureSmile. Methods: Seventy-one subjects undergoing non-extraction comprehensive orthodontic treatment with SureSmile were randomly assigned into experimental group that used AcceleDent device and control group that used no additional device. Little’s irregularity index was used to evaluate maxillary and mandibular anterior teeth alignment at four time points – initial, 3 months, 6 months, and 12 month or end of treatment. Pain intensity and compliance with AcceleDent were recorded. Results: Out of total initial sample, data from sixty-one subjects were analyzed. There were no statistical significant differences in the initial upper and lower arches irregularity indices between the two groups, p-value > 0.05. At all follow up time points, the mean irregularity indices were consecutively smaller for both upper and lower arches. Within each group these differences were statistically significant with p-value <0.001. However, the mean differences in irregularity index were not statistically significant between the experimental and control groups at any time points. There was no difference in pain levels between the two groups during initial 3 months of the treatment for the 3 days evaluated; however, pain was significantly lower in the experimental group from the third month until the end of the treatment, p-value = 0.006. Average compliance with AcceleDent use was 78%. Conclusion: The AcceleDent Aura device had no effect on arch alignment. Likewise, device did not have any effect on pain level during initial three months. After 3 months until the end of the treatment, AcceleDent group had significantly less pain compared to the control group during the initial 3 days post-adjustment appointments.