Researchers at the University of Florida have developed a high-tech smart mouth guard that can detect bruxism -- tooth-grinding -- in wearers. Tooth-grinding doesn't just cause damage to the teeth but can also lead to headaches, insomnia and jaw pain. That it occurs during sleep only makes it more difficult to diagnose and control.
This smart mouth guard is embedded with sensors that can detect how much force is applied by your jaw and which teeth are most affected. It then transmits the data via Bluetooth to a smartphone app. The data on the app can be accessed by users as well as their dentists.
This mouth guard can help patients be more aware of their grinding habits. The fact that it can be worn on a nightly basis means it can easily be used as part of a treatment plan rather than just as a diagnostic tool.
Smart Mouth Guards
This Mouth Guard Tells Users If They're Grinding Their Teeth
Trend Themes
1. Smart Mouth Guards - Mouth guards embedded with sensors can detect bruxism and transmit data via Bluetooth to be accessed by patients and dentists via a smartphone app.
2. Wearables for Health Monitoring - The rise of wearables embedded with sensors allows for continuous health monitoring and can improve both diagnostic and treatment tools for doctors and patients.
3. Telemedicine - The development of smart mouth guards that can transmit data to a smartphone app demonstrates the potential for telemedicine to improve healthcare by providing remote patient monitoring and diagnosis.
Industry Implications
1. Dentistry - Smart mouth guards that can detect bruxism and transmit data could disrupt the traditional dentistry industry by providing patients with more accurate diagnoses and effective treatment plans.
2. Healthtech - The integration of wearables and mobile health apps has the potential to transform the healthtech industry by providing patients with real-time monitoring and more personalized treatment options.
3. Sleep Medicine - The development of smart mouth guards that can monitor bruxism during sleep could disrupt the sleep medicine industry by providing patients with non-invasive, effective treatment options for sleep-related disorders.