{"id":628426,"date":"2023-04-12T18:49:57","date_gmt":"2023-04-12T23:49:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news.sellorbuyhomefast.com\/index.php\/2023\/04\/12\/feds-launch-criminal-investigation-into-agga-dental-device-and-its-inventor\/"},"modified":"2023-04-12T18:49:57","modified_gmt":"2023-04-12T23:49:57","slug":"feds-launch-criminal-investigation-into-agga-dental-device-and-its-inventor","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/2023\/04\/12\/feds-launch-criminal-investigation-into-agga-dental-device-and-its-inventor\/","title":{"rendered":"Feds Launch Criminal Investigation Into \u2018AGGA\u2019 Dental Device and Its Inventor"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
(Oona Tempest \/ KFF Health News Illustration; Device photo by Karan Gill)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
\n

Federal prosecutors have launched a criminal investigation into the Anterior Growth Guidance Appliance, or \u201cAGGA\u201d dental device, following a recent KFF Health News-CBS News investigation<\/a>, according to a motion filed in federal court.<\/p>\n

Multiple lawsuits allege the device has caused grievous harm to at least 20 patients and the FDA is now investigating its safety<\/a>, KFF Health News and CBS News have reported.<\/p>\n

The AGGA is a retainer-like device promoted by some dentists as an option for expanding adult patients\u2019 jawbones, beautifying their faces, and curing common ailments like sleep apnea. The lawsuits have alleged patients suffered damaged gums, eroded bone, and, in some cases, lost teeth.<\/p>\n

The criminal investigation of the use of the AGGA was revealed in a court motion<\/a> that seeks to delay the largest of the lawsuits \u201cpending the outcome of any criminal proceedings.\u201d The motion was filed this month by attorneys for AGGA inventor Dr. Steve Galella, his company, the Facial Beauty Institute, and AGGA manufacturer Johns Dental Laboratories, who said the investigation is being conducted \u201cfor the purpose of potentially bringing criminal charges\u201d against their clients.<\/p>\n

The attorneys said in their court filing that there is \u201cno doubt\u201d the investigation arose from the KFF Health News-CBS News coverage of the AGGA.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe U.S. Attorney\u2019s Office for the Western District of Tennessee and the U.S. Department of Justice is currently conducting a criminal investigation which, it is anticipated, will ultimately result in the presentation of evidence to a grand jury relating to the facts in this case,\u201d the attorneys state in the court filing in support of the motion<\/a>.<\/p>\n

None of the court records suggests what criminal charges could result from the investigation.<\/p>\n

The U.S. Attorney\u2019s Office in Memphis, which generally does not discuss ongoing investigations, declined to comment. Scott Charnas, an attorney representing many AGGA patients, also declined to comment. Attorneys for Galella, the Facial Beauty Institute, and Johns Dental did not respond to requests for comment on Tuesday.<\/p>\n

\n

\n\t\t
\n\t\t\tEmail Sign-Up\t\t<\/a>
\n\t<\/h4>\n

\n\t\tSubscribe to KFF Health News’ free Morning Briefing.\t<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

The AGGA, which was recently rebranded as the Osseo-Restoration Appliance, uses springs to apply pressure to the front teeth and upper palate, according to a patent application filed in 2021. Galella has said pressure from the device causes an adult\u2019s jaw to \u201cremodel\u201d forward, which he described, in training footage produced in discovery in an AGGA lawsuit, as the key to possibly \u201ccuring\u201d patients and making them more beautiful.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou can sell good health. You can help people and at the same time you\u2019re going to make a wheelbarrow full of money,\u201d Galella tells dentists in the video footage. \u201cAnd it\u2019s all OK, and it\u2019s all fair. We\u2019re not cheating anybody and we\u2019re not being greedy, but that just comes with the territory.\u201d<\/p>\n

The KFF Health News-CBS News investigation of the AGGA involved interviews with 11 patients who said they were hurt by the device \u2014 plus attorneys who said they represent or have represented at least 23 others \u2014 and dental specialists who said they\u2019d examined patients who had experienced severe complications using the AGGA. The investigation also found no record of the AGGA being registered with the FDA, despite the agency\u2019s role in regulating medical and dental devices. Galella has said in a sworn court deposition<\/a> that the device was never submitted to the FDA, which he believes wouldn\u2019t have jurisdiction over it.<\/p>\n

The FDA announced late last month that it is \u201cevaluating safety concerns\u201d about the AGGA and other similar devices.<\/p>\n

Galella has declined to be interviewed by KFF Health News and CBS News. His attorney, Alan Fumuso, previously said in a written statement that the AGGA, \u201cwhen properly used, is safe and can achieve beneficial results.\u201d<\/p>\n

All the AGGA lawsuits are ongoing. Galella and the other defendants have denied liability in court filings.<\/p>\n

The plaintiffs do not allege in their lawsuits that Galella treated them but allege he or his company consulted with each of their dentists about their AGGA treatment.<\/p>\n

CBS News producer Nicole Keller contributed to this article.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

Read More<\/a>
\n Brett Kelman and Anna Werner, CBS News<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

(Oona Tempest \/ KFF Health News Illustration; Device photo by Karan Gill) Federal prosecutors have launched a criminal investigation into the Anterior Growth Guidance Appliance, or \u201cAGGA\u201d dental device, following a recent KFF Health News-CBS News investigation, according to a motion filed in federal court. Multiple lawsuits allege the device has caused grievous harm to<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":628427,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2552,3932],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-628426","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-criminal","8":"category-launch"},"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/628426","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=628426"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/628426\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/628427"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=628426"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=628426"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=628426"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}