• Martin Jung, Nuran Soydan, Felix Rubbert, and Willi-Eckhard Wetzel.
• Polyclinic for Operative and Preventive Dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry, Justus-Liebig-University Giessen, D-35392 Giessen, Germany. martin.jung@dentist.med.uni-giessen.de
• J. Clin. Periodontol. 2005 Jun 1; 32 (6): 604-9.

ObjectivesThe aim of this study was to evaluate the geometry and the quality of bristle tip-rounding using 14 different heads from powered toothbrushes.Material And MethodsSix powered toothbrushes for children and eight for juveniles and adults were included. Five replaceable heads of each product were randomly selected. Of each sample, 35 bristles were used for examination. This resulted in 175 bristles from each product being evaluated. The quality of end-rounding was assessed by scanning electron microscopy at an original magnification x 80 in two categories of acceptable and five categories of unacceptable rounding according to Silverstone & Featherstone (1988).ResultsThe portion of acceptable end-rounding varied strongly between the products (18.9-94.3%). There were significant differences regarding the products for children (p<0.001) and for adults (p<0.001) with respect to end-rounding quality. Only one product achieved more than 90% and eight products had between 68% and 86% acceptable end-rounding. Two products for children and one for adults had less than 25% acceptable end-rounding.ConclusionA high standard of bristle tip-rounding is an important feature with respect to the safety of powered toothbrushes. Those products with a greater portion of unacceptably rounded bristles might cause more harm to oral soft tissues during use. The end-rounding quality of some of the products should be improved.

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