The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has made a ruling this week that marketing claims in support of Acceledent, a device designed to speed up treatment, are misleading.
The ruling has been welcomed by the British Orthodontic Society (BOS), a charity and the voice of orthodontics in the UK, which calls on manufacturers of orthodontic devices and systems to ensure that all claims can be backed up by high quality research.
OrthoAccel Technologies Inc., based in Germany, claims on its website that Acceledent can speed up treatment by up to 50% and that it is clinically proven to reduce the pain and discomfort associated with wearing braces by up to 71%.
The ASA disagrees. Following a complaint in relation to two claims, the ASA examined research and case studies provided by OrthoAccel Technologies and ruled that the claims could not be substantiated and were misleading.
The ASA ruling states in its adjudication: “The ad must not appear again in its current form. We told OrthoAccel Technologies Inc not to make claims that their Acceledent device could move teeth faster and reduce pain for brace wearers unless they held adequate evidence to support such claims.”
Acceledent is a hand-held oscillating device which can be purchased by patients wearing braces or aligners. The theory is that the vibrations of the device help the teeth to move faster.
Richard George, Director of External Relations for the BOS, said:
“This is the third time in the last few years that the ASA has upheld a claim of misleading advertising in relation to an orthodontic product based on the lack of good quality evidence.
"Orthodontic treatment can take up to two years to complete and so the quest to speed up the process is understandable. However, what matters most is the quality of the treatment so that the best possible results can be achieved.The priority should be to see an orthodontist or a dentist with recognised enhanced skills who can meet your needs.”
The BOS has a wealth of information on its website for patients. To find out more about orthodontic treatment, go to:www.bos.org.uk or consult our Orthodontics for Adults page here. https://www.bos.org.uk/adultorthodontics
The ASA ruling can be found here: https://www.asa.org.uk/rulings/orthoaccel-technologies-inc-a17-393373.html