2021 Volume 42 Issue 1 Pages 23-32
It is important to select appropriate toothbrushes for special needs patients. However, there is no objective functional index for toothbrush selection.
In this study, we used the SHC model which was created for in vitro functional evaluation of toothbrushes. The model consists of a semi-circular rod of diameter 8.0 mm fixed to a flat plate. We used three kinds of toothbrushes with four rows of tufts：super tapered-end bristles with flat profile, end-rounded bristles with flat profile, and raw and super tapered-end bristles in the same tuft. We measured brushing motion by an inertial sensor and evaluated the amplitude of brushing.
Our research showed that with larger amplitudes, the toothbrush head cannot touch the surface of the model or that the bristles of the toothbrush bend. The evaluation of the amplitude of toothbrush movement using the SHC model and inertial sensor could identify the proper load of each toothbrush. It is suggested that this could be used as a functional index for toothbrush selection for special needs patients.
