Comparison of electric and manual toothbrushes on periodontal health in fixed orthodontic patients

Park, Seong Joon; Lee, Ki Heon; Hwang, Hyeon Shik

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of an electric toothbrush, with a specially designed orthodontic brush head, compared to a manual toothbrush on the periodontal health of patients with fixed orthodontic appliances. Forty patients were randomly divided into two groups, the electric and the manual toothbrush groups, 1 month after attachment of fixed orthodontic appliances. Periodontal status was measured using a plaque index, a gingival index, a bleeding index, a pocket depth and a relative attachment loss, at baseline and after 3 months, 6 months, 9 months, and 12 months. The Braun Oral-B Plak Control with Ortho OD 15-1 brush head was used as the electric toothbrush while the Butler G.U.M 124 was given as the manual toothbrush. In the manual toothbrush group, the gingival and bleeding indices showed no statistically significant differences, but the plaque index was significantly decreased (p < 0.001) and pocket depth as well as relative attachment loss were significantly increased (p < 0.01). In the electric toothbrush group, the bleeding index, pocket depth and relative attachment loss showed no statistically significant differences, but the plaque and gingival indices were significantly decreased (p < 0.001). In the case of the plaque, gingival and bleeding indices, there were no statistically significant differences between the electric and the manual toothbrush groups. On the contrary, in the case of pocket depth and relative attachment loss, there were statistically significant differences between the electric and the manual toothbrush groups: an increase in the manual toothbrush groups unlike the electric toothbrush group which kept the same state (p < 0.05). These findings suggest that an electric toothbrush is useful for orthodontic patients with fixed appliances.