2025 Volume 38 Issue 2 Pages 96-104
Objective:Since full-arch implant-supported fixed prostheses based on the All-on-4 concept often have an artificial gingival component, the prostheses' basal surface morphology is very different from that of the normal superstructure. In this study, we compared the plaque removal effect of two types of sonic toothbrushes with different brush shapes on the basal surface of prostheses, and discussed the oral hygiene condition and basal surface morphology.
Subjects and Methods:Among patients who had been undergoing maintenance every 6 months for 5 to 8 years after having their final prostheses fitted, and who had been using a sonic toothbrush with a standard brush tip (Sonicare FlexCare Sensitive Brush Head Regular:SC, Philips) as a home care tool, consent was obtained to switch to a sonic toothbrush with a different tufted tip (PriniaSmile One-Tuft Brush Taper:PS, GC) and use this for 6 months. A statistical comparison was conducted on the differences in the amount of residual plaque on the base of the prosthesis within the same patients in 10 patients (6 men and 4 women) (p<0.05).
Results:The amount of residual plaque on the entire base surface was 35.6% in the SC group, and 12.5% in the PS group, and the amount of residual plaque was significantly less in the PS group compared to the SC group. Furthermore, when comparing by site, the amount of residual plaque was 27.8% in the anterior, 33.8% in the middle, and 45.8% in the posterior when SC was used, and 5.0% in the anterior, 10.3% in the middle, and 23.3% in the posterior when PS was used, and the amount of residual plaque was significantly greater in the posterior region in both the SC and PS groups. In addition, the residual plaque rate around the anterior abutment was 38.5% in the SC group and 16.6% in the PS group, and that around the posterior abutment was 52.4% in the SC group and 27.5% in the PS group, which was significantly lower than the SC group. In both the SC and PS groups, the amount of residual plaque around the posterior abutment was significantly greater than that in the anterior region.
Conclusion:In the oral cleaning of full-arch prostheses based on the All-on-4 concept, it was considered that the reachability of the sonic toothbrush was important due to the shape of the brush, and that cleaning was more difficult in the posterior region.
