3D-printed toothbrush scrubs chompers in 6 seconds

If you had a choice between spending 2 minutes or 6 seconds brushing your teeth, you would probably go with the faster method. The Blizzident custom 3D-printed toothbrush is a bizarre-looking toothbrush alternative that promises a 6-second scrub of your pearly whites.

There is no one-size-fits-all Blizzident. Each one is custom-made to fit an individual's mouth. The process starts with an impression or 3D-scan of your teeth. If you have a dentist make an impression, it still needs to be scanned into a 3D file. That scan is uploaded to Blizzident, which then manufactures the toothbrush using 3D printing.

Using the Blizzident involves popping it into your mouth and making biting and chewing motions. It looks furry, but the plentiful soft bristles are angled to clean your gums and get between your teeth for quick cleaning.

You can pop over to a store and pick up a regular toothbrush for a couple bucks, but the Blizzident's more complex manufacturing process causes the product to come in at $299. A replacement (which is recommended after a year of use) costs $159. Getting the 3D scan done can cost anywhere from $75 to $200. That pretty much puts it into the realm of luxury products.

The Blizzident is certainly a creative use of 3D printing that brings a new angle to the chore of toothbrushing. The company promises to share clinical studies on the efficiency of the Blizzident soon. It will be interesting to see how it stacks up to the old method.

(Via Livescience)