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A 3D printed toothbrush for all your teeth
- matthewbaker 13y agoA lot of negativity in the comments, I'm surprised. Electric toothbrushes aren't more effective than traditional (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electric_toothbrush http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electric_toothbrush), but have huge sales numbers. Packaging is a problem right now, but put that thing in something unapologetically plastic and shiny and there may just be a market.
- pdonis 13y agoElectric toothbrushes aren't more effective than traditional There's a key qualifier: "assuming that the person using the manual toothbrush will brush effectively". I have a huge amount of trouble brushing effectively with a manual toothbrush; with an electric I can just let the toothbrush do the work.
- matthewbaker 13y agoGood point. That should be noted and it also furthers my original point: This new device claims an even simpler and shorter process.
- zdw 13y agoWhile it obviously appears to shorten the brushing time, it also looks like it would be much harder to keep the device itself clean - everyone who has had a retainer or other removable dental device could likely attest to this. I'd imagine it would also require more toothpaste. Seeing as toothbrushes in bulk are about less than $1 each, a $300 ($150 refurbished, but ewwwwww...), hard to clean device seems somewhat difficult to argue for.
- ginko 13y agoMaybe you can put it in a cleaning fluid after brushing.
- TobbenTM 13y agoAnd similarly, a more fluid/watered out paste to ease appliance.
- TheCraiggers 13y agoThere's nothing wrong with a refurbished device like this, provided it's been cleaned. I don't understand why people always have problems with things like this. Or do you have a problem with the cleaning tools the dental hygienist uses? Those were in someone else's mouth the previous day, after all. I agree with your other points, although if the device cleans your teeth better, that may be worth it to some people.
- thedufer 13y ago> Or do you have a problem with the cleaning tools the dental hygienist uses They open a sealed set of new tools for each patient at all of the places I've been. Is this a US thing?
- cvburgess 13y agoThey are not "new" - they are simply cleaned and resealed in packaging. It would be crazy expensive to only use these instruments once.
- DanBC 13y agoThey'd move to disposable items which would be much cheaper. But, even then, people want to reuse items. (http://www.crd.york.ac.uk/crdweb/ShowRecord.asp?LinkFrom=OAI&ID=21998000484#.UksGv9KRC0I http://www.crd.york.ac.uk/crdweb/ShowRecord.asp?LinkFrom=OAI...) Luckily there seems to be lots of research around reusable instruments. (https://www.evidence.nhs.uk/search?q=disposable%20instruments&ps=50 https://www.evidence.nhs.uk/search?q=disposable%20instrument...)
- kaib 13y agoMany of the tools are actually reused again and again. However, between uses they are sterilized using an autoclave and then immediately put into sealed bags to maintain sterility.
- kaybe 13y agoNot quite, you have to sterilize the things in the bag.
- Theriac25 13y agoMaybe they should make custom cleaning brushes that are tailored to each tooth-brush they produce.
- jarel 13y agoBut how do you clean the cleaning brushes?
- Theriac25 13y agoBy making custom tooth-brush cleaning brush cleaning brushes that are tailored to each tooth-brush cleaning brush they produce?
- hamburglar 13y agoAt each iteration, the shape changes slightly, until eventually, the design stabilizes to a device that looks suspiciously like a turtle.
- jessaustin 13y agoSo you hypothesize that there exists a fixpoint for the cleaner function?
- koliber 13y agoIt would be shaped more-or-less like your teeth.
- brd 13y agoLets put aside the cleaning argument and discuss cost for a minute here. Its recommended you brush your teeth for ~2 minutes. Lets say with this thing you shorten it to 30 seconds. That means you save 3 minutes per day every day on brushing, assuming you brush twice daily. This works out to about 18 hours a year. If your time is more valuable than 17/hr it's arguably worth it. Time and time again I see people complain about the cost of daily use items but when you factor in how much you actually use them and the potential benefit you can get out of a them it quickly becomes worthwhile. edit: there is a huge difference between being maximizing productivity and measuring opportunity cost, I'm arguing the latter. I don't expect you to get paid another 18 hours a year. I'm simply pointing out that depending on how YOU value YOUR time spending $300 on a fancy toothbrush is entirely worth it.
- webjprgm 13y agoOnly if you'd be able to use those 3 minutes productively. You can't sit down at a computer and work for just a minute and a half, you'd have to be able to get to work a minute and a half sooner to capitalize on this. If you have a salaried job then this makes no difference.
- Zimahl 13y agoYou know, I see that argument all the time - 3 minutes here, 1 minute there. But I just wasted 5 minutes of my life where I zoned out staring at the ceiling. Sometimes you can justify 'wasting' 18 hours per year. Also, it's not like you stop thinking in those 3 minutes per day, you can still use that time for something constructive, even if that something isn't using your hands.
- 0ca0 13y agoThat's a bit of a simplification. When I brush my teeth, I am often doing something else as well. So it doesn't end up costing me 4 minutes of my free time every day.
- Osiris 13y agoYou are assuming that you'd use those extra 3 minutes a day doing something that's worth >$17/hr. In most cases, it probably just means hitting the sack 3 minutes early. I've always found these types of arguments perplexing because while 18 hours at one time can be used to great effect, 1.5 minutes at a time cannot. I waste that much time just flipping through the HN headlines, which I would not pay $17/hr to do.
- r0h1n 13y agoHow can a product that is "tailor-made to fit into a person's mouth using 3D scanning and 3D printing" be sold refurbished?
- Groxx 13y agoSpecifically to retainer cleaning, there is a huge difference between something that's in your mouth for 6 seconds daily and something that's in there for 16 hours. Retainers need constant cleaning to not smell like death. Your toothbrush does not, though it's in your mouth for longer than this one would be (seriously, go smell it. it's probably fine.).
- donpdonp 13y agoIt looks impossible to change the angle of the brush, meaning only the major face of each tooth gets touched by the bristles. This seems more to do with 3D printing, than dentistry. What is interesting is the change from mass produced to 'mass customization' where things are made with efficiencies of scale, yet each one can be unique (within limits).
- nsxwolf 13y agoI bet you this thing doesn't get your teeth clean at all. It's also not for people with TMJ.
- MrBuddyCasino 13y agoThats what I was thinking, for me this is a bit in the "I can't believe they invented it" territory. A 3d printing curiosity.
- stephengillie 13y agoMay the great Maker forbid people from using their imagination to find better solutions to current problems with new technology.
- nsxwolf 13y agoIn this case, I have doubts they have improved on anything. Where did you get the impression anyone is against the idea of finding better solutions in general?
- qq66 13y agoSo what if it's not for people with TMJ? There are enough people out there without TMJ. I see this category of criticism often, but never understand it. Sure, athletic sneakers aren't for people who have no feet. Nike still makes money.
- dameyawn 13y agoNow just give it some rigidity and attach it to a Sonicare handle. The high frequency vibration and resultant cavitation kill bacteria (or so says some papers on it).
- deleted 13y ago[deleted]
- speedyrev 13y agoThis is technology fixing a problem that doesn't exist.
- brianobush 13y agohave you ever been to the denist and they ask you to focus on some area of the mouth? for perfect brushing, yes, this is a solved problem. however, I don't think everyone is a perfect brusher.
- zallarak 13y agoThis is interesting but a pointless optimization. I use a cheap brush and have no dental issues to date. Also, for those of you like me who will criticize this -- make sure your small business isn't a virtual analogue of this.
- avalaunch 13y agoYou're making a weird assumption that because you have no dental issues nobody does. Or that because a cheap brush is good enough for you it's good enough for everyone. 33% of Americans have untreated tooth decay (CDC). An optimization may be just what the average American needs.
- omarforgotpwd 13y agothis is the most unappealing thing i've seen this year
- deleted 13y ago[deleted]
- toki5 13y agoThis is the wrong problem to try and solve. Toothbrushes are a solved problem. If you want to disrupt at-home dentistry, solve flossing instead. That one's still a pain in the ass that comes back to bite (heh) a huge amount of people down their roads.
- josefresco 13y agoFloss picks. They mostly solved my flossing reluctance. That and my dentist threatening a more invasive cleaning process if my gum health didn't improve. They seem like a waste (mine are recyclable) but I found for myself and kids they are 100 times easier than traditional floss. /I do not own stock or a website selling floss picks
- DanHulton 13y agoAgreed a million percent. I hated flossing and I still do, but these are so easy to use, that it's absolutely overcome my reluctance. Most nights are like "But I don't wanna floss, enh, it's like a couple seconds, whatever."
- subpixel 13y agoPro-tip: if you use a floss pick, rinse it in water and dip it in mouthwash every time you move between teeth. Using the same small piece of floss for all your teeth actually spreads bacteria, etc. throughout your mouth, causing all the things you're trying to avoid by flossing in the first place. Dentists & hygienists never floss two sets of teeth with the same piece of floss. (And yes, they go through a crap-ton of floss.)
- npsimons 13y agoUsing the same small piece of floss for all your teeth actually spreads bacteria, etc. throughout your mouth, causing all the things you're trying to avoid by flossing in the first place. Citation needed; I've heard this one before, and I just don't buy it. I've always believed (perhaps wrongly) that flossing was meant to remove food debris the bacteria lives off of that a toothbrush can't get to. Dentists & hygienists never floss two sets of teeth with the same piece of floss. (And yes, they go through a crap-ton of floss.) Maybe my hygienist is doing it wrong, but she uses very little floss and uses the same piece for multiple tooth gaps.
- daigoba66 13y agoA dentist (unverified) offers an opinion on the product: http://www.reddit.com/r/technology/comments/1ni570/the_worlds_craziest_toothbrush_cleans_your_teeth/ccivlo2 http://www.reddit.com/r/technology/comments/1ni570/the_world...
- asmosoinio 13y agoI have been told by a dentist that the reason for "you must brush your teeth for 2 minutes" is mostly because the tooth paste should have time to work on the teeth. I.e. Not to remove physical "dirt". In which case you should keep the paste on for two minutes even with this device. Disclaimer: I never checked on the 2 min fact, but do think a dentist would know.
- aestra 13y agoNope, it is to make sure you do a "good job" brushing. Increasing time increases plaque removal. http://skeptics.stackexchange.com/questions/6479/do-i-have-to-brush-my-teeth-at-least-3-minutes-each-time http://skeptics.stackexchange.com/questions/6479/do-i-have-t...
- tantalor 13y ago> One of the great advantages of 3D Printing is the ability to design and create customized versions of everyday objects. This is not a customized version of an everyday object. This is a completely new object nobody has ever made before. Calling it a toothbrush is like calling an automobile a "horseless carriage".
- lightbritefight 13y agoAn automobile is a horseless carriage. Many new objects that displace older objects are refereed to initially in reference to the established product. This serves the same purpose as a toothbrush, so its entirely sensible to refer to in terms of a toothbrush. Calling it a "whizgonger" or some such is neither descriptive or useful for anyone.
- marshray 13y agoIt's a teethbrush!
- stephengillie 13y agoWow, what's with all of the hate? Someone uses a new technology to create a device that could be a more efficient way of solving a current problem, and the best comments that anyone can write are complaints about how it's a bad idea or solving the wrong problem because they personally don't have this problem? What an awful way to encourage inventive people to follow their dreams and build new products for everyone. These attitudes kill entrepreneurship.
- gohrt 13y agoWell there's this: > What about clinical studies? > Clinical studies will be published soon, showing the same > dramatic improvements in plaque-removal and overall oral > hygiene that our inhouse testing and usage by > our first customers have already been showing. That's not quite how science works. But it's nice to see engineering geeks getting into the medical quackery business. Also: > It lasts 1 year - you receive a refurbished one (professionally cleaned and all bristles brandnew) for 89. So it's even more expensive to maintain than an electric toothbrush, which can also be shared among multiple users with different bristle heads.
- deleted 13y ago[deleted]
- DanBC 13y agoBob brushes more carefully with NEW STYLE BRUSH than he does with OLD STYLE BRUSH, thus leading people to think that the new brush is better. When actually, it isn't, because it misses the gum line and doesn't help prevent gum disease. Thus, the population using the new brush has more fillings, extractions, deaths from surgery, and deaths from heart disease associated with gum disease. There's a reason science is rigorous.
- dlss 13y agoI feel like this effect is diminished when you're brushing your teeth in front of a researcher. Also, don't forget that the NEW STYLE BRUSH you mention is more likely to be improperly used.
- tilsammans 13y agoWhat I really want is nanobots that live in my mouth and discard of bacteria the moment they appear. Every night I'd put some fresh nanobots on my tongue and they will last a day. I'd even splurge for the nanobots deluxe, they directly remineralize the calcium in my teeth. They extract the calcium from the bacteria they kill!
- lotyrin 13y agoWhat I want is a seed batch of probiotic flora (possibly even GMOs) that compete with S. mutans for nutrients and are better houseguests.
- JoeAltmaier 13y agoYeah this never works. Scattering some daffodil seeds in a field full of weeds - the weeds win. I never understood the 'probiotic' concept.
- WalterSear 13y agoAs nice as this sounds, it's going to take me a while to get used to using a >refurbished< toothbrush.
- standeven 13y agoMy dentist told me that the most important part of brushing wasn't the technique or type of brush, but the time. The two minutes of fluoride contact is the most important part of the process, and this product removes that.
- bdickason 13y agoInteresting, they're using 3DSystems' Visijet material which is approved for use in 'guides.' I wonder if they're safe to put in your mouth every day? Very few 3D Printing materials are actually safe for consumption.
- notthemessiah 13y agoSeems a lot like the razor for all of your facial hair: http://www.shavingstuff.com/archives/011601.php http://www.shavingstuff.com/archives/011601.php
- cstross 13y ago"And you can floss your tongue simultaneously" -- way to trigger my gag reflex. No, seriously. I'm sure this will work for some people, but for those of us with a strong gag reflex this is a nightmare device. (I know whereof I speak; I've had to have dental imprints taken for prosthodontic work several times, and I always come close to throwing up -- when having my jaws packed with something not dissimilar in size and shape).
- jlgreco 13y agoI agree, this device looks neat but I fear it would be very difficult for me to use. I could probably get use to it eventually, but it would almost certainly have me throwing the first few times and just gagging long after that.
- 6ren 13y agoNext: cut out the dentist
- iends 13y agoPlease don't...my wife's a 4th year dental student :(
- pron 13y agoGreat idea. Will probably do well on late-night shopping channel shows.
- wellboy 13y agoIt's not about how much absolute time this brush saves, it's how much it saves relatively in comparison to the status quo and in that way it is just 30 times better. If you deduct the higher costs and whatever you might lose some of that, but you will still be above the magic "10 times better" threshold that a product needs to be to beat competition.
- gcb0 13y agoAnyone with half a brain knows no self respecting density will sell this. The number one they teaches kids is that you don't brush food into the gum... So any magic brush that works by biting will push the food to where? Hint: it's not away from the gum. Would love if they worked around this problem though...
- pattle 13y agoWhat about toothpaste?