Ortho 101 for the Dental Professional
Manual Toothbrushes

When it comes to tooth brushing several studies have evaluated the efficacyof manual and power toothbrushes. They have been compared against each other ina variety of ways. When comparing conventional and orthodontic manualtoothbrushes, studies have shown there is a difference in the effectiveness ofplaque removal and gingival bleeding dependent upon the configuration of thebristles. Typically, orthodontic toothbrushes have central bristles set at alower height than the outermost bristles. This arrangement allows space for theprotrusion of the bracket and the outer bristles of the toothbrush to reach thetooth around the bracket. Utilizing an orthodontic toothbrush decreases theamount of visible plaque around the bracket and also decreases the amount ofgingival bleeding. However, the study also suggested that the oral hygieneimproved from baseline data with both the conventional and orthodontic manualtoothbrushes due to the study groups increased awareness of the importance ofgood oral hygiene.⁹ Therefore, the demonstration of a modified tooth brushingtechnique is important to all orthodontic patients and cannot be underestimated.