The latest thing in Japanese orthodontistry involves putting LEDs into braces. Actually, no, but hip young Japanese kids can have their teeth outfitted with LEDs to light up their smiles like a Christmas tree.
These LED lights were designed by Motoi Ishibashi [JP] and Daito Manabe [JP] for an advertising campaign for Laforet Harajuku [JP] (a Japanese department store), and while they aren’t available for purchase at this point, I’m sure it’s only matter of time. They will undoubtedly become very popular among Japanese teens.
The lights flicker in varying colors at varying speeds, and are controlled wirelessly by a computer. Of course, it’s best to make sure that your choppers are pretty darned clean before they start lighting up.
I’m pretty sure that it’s one of those fads that won’t take off in the US anytime soon, even if they are someday available for purchase in Japan.
[via Ubergizmo via Bits from NY Times]
