EFFECT OF ROTARY ELECTRIC TOOTHBRUSH VERSUS MANUAL TOOTHBRUSH ON DECALCIFICATION DURING ORTHODONTIC TREATMENT

The purpose of this study was to determine whether daily use of a rota ry electric toothbrush (Rotadent, Prodentec Corp., Batesville, Ark.) a nd a 0.05% sodium fluoride (NaF) rinse would significantly reduce deca lcification when compared with manual toothbrushing only (control grou p) or manual toothbrushing and daily use of a NaF rinse (rinse group). All three groups used a standard fluoride toothpaste. Ninety consecut ive adolescent patients who were to receive orthodontic treatment were placed into one of three groups according to age and sex criteria. De calcification was evaluated single blind by two calibrated examiners o n the facial surfaces of all permanent teeth before appliances were pl aced (baseline) and 3 months after appliances were removed (posttreatm ent). Data were analyzed by analysis of covariance with the dependent variable derived by subtracting the baseline decalcification scores fr om the posttreatment scores and using the baseline scores as the covar iate. The results showed that although there were no significant diffe rences between the three groups at baseline, the Rota-dent group showe d significantly (p < 0.05) less posttreatment decalcification than eit her the control or rinse groups. In a separate analysis of first molar s, the Rotadent group again showed the least decalcification and the c ontrol group showed the most. These data suggest that twice daily use of the Rota-dent electric toothbrush with a standard fluoride toothpas te and once daily use of a 0.05% NaF rinse is more effective for preve nting decalcification in adolescents during orthodontic treatment with fixed appliances than either conventional toothbrushing with a fluori de toothpaste, or similar toothbrushing and toothpaste with a once dai ly NaF rinse.