A laboratory and clinical investigation comparing 2 oscillating/rotating electric toothbrushes

The purpose of the study was to investigate the efficacy of plaque removal by 2 different toothbrushes in a laboratory model and in a clinical study.

The 2 brushes used were the Philips/Jordan HP 735 and the Braun Oral-B Ultra Plaque Remover (D9). Both were compared in a laboratory study (using a robot system) and a short-term clinical study. For the laboratory study, plaque substitute was applied to the artificial teeth of ten typodonts, which were cleaned by a robot for 2 min. The remaining plaque substitute was measured on buccal and lingual/palatal surfaces, as well as gumline and interproximal sites, using a computerized vision system. The clinical study included 23 non-dental students. All subjects received a single oral prophylaxis and were asked not to brush their teeth for 48 h prior to their appointment. After the amount of plaque had been evaluated at 6 sites per tooth, subjects brushed in a random split-mouth order with the 2 electric toothbrushes, after which the amount of plaque was re-evaluated.

The results of the laboratory study showed that, for all surfaces combined, the mean removal of plaque substitute for both brushes was the same. However, at the vestibular and the approximal vestibular surfaces, the reduction in plaque substitute was significantly higher (p<0.01) with the Braun toothbrush compared to the Philips. In the clinical study, the mean overall plaque reduction for the Braun toothbrush (74%) was significantly higher than for the Philips (66%). Further analysis revealed that the significant difference in favour of the Braun brush was mainly due to plaque removal from the approximal vestibular and the approximal lingual sites.

In conclusion, both the laboratory and clinical study show that the Braun Oral-B Ultra Plaque Remover (D9) is more effective than the Philips/Jordan HP 735. Both study models indicate that this difference is greatest on the approximal vestibular surfaces.