The Amabrush mouthpiece with magnetic handpiece and blue toothpaste capsule. All media courtesy of Amabrush.

The premise of the Amabrush is to save users time by cleaning all tooth surfaces simultaneously with soft, vibrating bristles. The device consists of a handpiece, toothpaste capsule, and antibacterial silicone mouthpiece. The public has already contributed more than $1.7 million on crowdfunding website Kickstarter to finish its development.

When asked about the fundraising success, Amabrush Founder and CEO Marvin Musialek said many people find the conventional tootbrushing process annoying.

"Brushing correctly for at least two minutes requires you to be highly concentrated each time you brush your teeth," Musialek told DrBicuspid.com. "We guess that many people don't do that, are not able to do that, or just don't want to do that."

New toothbrushing tool

Three years ago, Musialek began developing the first Amabrush prototypes, iterating through several "clunky" versions of the product. Hady Haririan, DMD, PhD, from the Medical University of Vienna School of Dentistry, was brought on as an advisor a few months later, as Musialek wanted input from a dental practitioner early on. The resulting product is a device that brushes teeth in 10 seconds flat.

Amabrush's simultaneous, automatic brushing is why it can reduce toothbrushing to mere seconds, Musialek said. A person using a conventional toothbrush for two minutes will clean each surface for about 1.25 seconds, whereas the Amabrush can clean each surface, including the distal surface of third molars, for 10 seconds, according to the company's website.

However, the Amabrush does not replace flossing, and conventional toothbrushes work well when used properly, Musialek noted.

"It's really hard to compare it to regular toothbrushes, manual or electric, because a toothbrush is just a tool, and tools are only as good as the people using them," he said. "If a person already uses his regular toothbrush in a professional way, then Amabrush will definitely be no better than a regular toothbrush. ... It just replaces the task of a regular toothbrush, in order to make brushing more convenient, less time-consuming, and simply automatic."

Viral Kickstarter campaign

With its 10-second promise, the Amabrush has gone viral. The toothbrush debuted its Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign on July 5 and surpassed its original goal in one hour. So far, 13,000 people have pledged more than $1.7 million to support the tootbrush's final stages of development.

On Kickstarter, the basic Amabrush, which includes a handpiece, mouthpiece, toothpaste capsule, and charger, costs 79 euro ($91.31 U.S.). The first version of the Amabrush will be made in one size with a flexible material that fits most adult mouths and is expected to ship December 2017. The company also plans to develop a smaller version for children older than age 6 with permanent teeth.

Like a regular toothbrush, the mouthpieces are designed to be replaced every three months, with replacements costing 6 euro ($6.93) each. Replacements ship free to the U.S., Europe, and Canada with an optional subscription plan.

The single toothpaste capsules last for more than a month, cost 3 euros ($3.47), and are available in three varieties: extra fresh (blue), whitening (white), and sensitive (rose, without fluoride). The toothpaste is specially formulated because it needs to be more liquid than regular toothpastes, according to the company. Bottles of toothpaste and refillable, reusable capsules also are available.

So far, Amabrush has tested the device internally and externally, including conducting plaque tests. Once the design is finalized, the company intends to conduct a clinical trial with an independent institution, likely shortly after the first batch of the Amabrush hit the market.

Meanwhile, Musialek is confident that the Amabrush can do the job as promised.

"We truly believe that Amabrush can make a difference when it comes to right toothbrushing," he said. "We implemented all of the recommended techniques and methods into our product, in order to stimulate a toothbrushing session that is as perfect as it can be done automatically."

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