The Efficacy of Interproximal Cleaning Tools In-vitro

Objectives: Interproximal cleaning tools have an important clinical implication being that caries and periodontal disease are most common in the interproximal surfaces of teeth. The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy of two interproximal cleaning tools in-vitro, under the clinician’s eyes alone and under magnification.
Methods: Tool 1 (GUM) and tool 2 (Tepe) interproximal cleaning brushes were moved bucco-lingually between teeth #18 and #19 in a Columbia typodont at different usage rates: 50X, 100X, 200X and 500X. 30 interproximal brushes (15 per group and usage rate) were used. Following, the interproximal brushes were evaluated for damage by one masked examiner without magnification and by a second masked examiner under 2.5X magnification. Each examiner determined if the interproximal brush had no damage, slight damage, moderate damage or severe damage. Statistical evaluation was performed using descriptive statistics.
Results: The results showed that different degrees of damage were detected under magnification than by the examiner without magnification. Under the clinician’s eyes alone tool 1 presented with 100% damage at all usage rates. Tool 2 resisted 50 repetitions without alterations and with the increase of repetitions slight to moderate damage was detected. Under magnification, tool 1 presented different degrees of damage with 50 or more uses, the damage being higher when the number of repetitions was increased. Tool 2 presented some resistance to damage (26.66%) after 50 uses, while under 100 uses only 6.6% of tool 2 interproximal brushes remained unaltered. Under the clinician’s eyes up to 100 repetitions resulted in slight damage for tool 1. 200 or more repetitions resulted in moderate and severe damage in 100% of both tools.
Conclusions: Tepe interproximal brushes were determined to be more efficacious than GUM interproximal brushes. In addition, subclinical damage of interproximal cleaning tools should be evaluated under magnification.