Dental News - Kickstarter campaign funds manufacturing of jaw anti-clenching device

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Kickstarter campaign funds manufacturing of jaw anti-clenching device

According to the Academy of General Dentistry, one in three people unconsciously clench or grind their teeth during the day or night. (Photograph: Brock Predovich/Kickstarter)
Dental Tribune International

Dental Tribune International

Tue. 18. July 2017

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DENVER, USA: Entrepreneur Brock Predovich is working on a novel product that is supposed to relieve bruxism. Earlier this month, his Kickstarter campaign exceeded its $10,000 goal, which means that the device, BruxRelief, can now be manufactured.

The BruxRelief is a small, half-round device that is stuck behind the user’s ear using medical-grade, reusable adhesive gel. The device uses patent-pending sensor technology to measure muscle activity when the user is clenching or grinding his or her teeth. It then subtly vibrates without distracting or fully waking up the wearer, allowing the device to be worn during the day and throughout the night. To track progress and analyze grinding patterns, the BruxRelief communicates via Bluetooth with a corresponding smartphone app.

Predovich’s motivation to find a means of addressing bruxism stemmed from a series of health incidents, including a motorcycle accident and a lower back injury, which resulted in him having great anxiety about going to sleep and waking up. “I started clenching my teeth constantly during the day, it felt like I was constantly preparing for a fight. I started waking up with a sore jaw from grinding my teeth at night,” he explained.

According to the campaign timeline, the final design is now being discussed and all the materials for manufacturing the device are being sourced. In the near future, 1,000 units will be produced in Poland to fulfil the Kickstarter orders alone. Within the next six to eight months, Predovich hopes to have produced 10,000 units in China, to later sell them on Amazon for approximately $100 each.

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