title: The effectiveness of conically shaped compared with cylindrically shaped interdental brushes - a randomized controlled clinical trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to compare the effectiveness of conically shaped versus cylindrically shaped interdental brushes (IDB) in patients receiving supportive periodontal therapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Periodontal maintenance patients volunteered to be enrolled into this randomized controlled examiner-blind parallel study. At baseline and after 3 months, plaque scores, bleeding upon pocket probing scores and probing pocket depth (PPD) were assessed. The type of IDB (conical or cylindrical) was randomly assigned to each patient and individual instruction was provided regarding the method of use and the appropriate size. Only those approximal sites that had sufficient space for the IDB were eligible, and for those sites the data were analysed separately. Analyses were performed for all eligible approximal surfaces and a sub-analysis was performed for vestibular and lingual surfaces.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In total, 51 participants attended the baseline and the 3-month clinical appointments. Overall, there was no difference between conical and cylindrical IDBs. However, the conical IDB showed significantly higher plaque and bleeding scores at the lingual approximal sites. The cause of this difference was an increase in plaque and bleeding scores compared with baseline. With respect to the PPD, no difference between the IDBs was observed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Within the limitations of this experiment, the conical IDBs are less effective than cylindrical IDBs with respect to lingual approximal plaque removal. Thus, in patients receiving supportive periodontal therapy, the cylindrical shape should be the first choice of IDB to obtain and maintain gingival health around natural teeth.
authors.affiliation: Clinic for Periodontology Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.|Academic Center for Dentistry Amsterdam (ACTA), University of Amsterdam and VU University, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: H C
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Larsen
authors.affiliation: Department of Periodontology, Academic Center for Dentistry Amsterdam (ACTA), University of Amsterdam and VU University, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: D E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Slot
authors.affiliation: Clinic for Periodontology Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Van Zoelen
authors.affiliation: Clinic for Periodontology Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: D S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Barendregt
authors.affiliation: Department of Periodontology, Academic Center for Dentistry Amsterdam (ACTA), University of Amsterdam and VU University, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: G A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Van der Weijden
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003774:Dental Plaque Index; D004867:Equipment Design; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010512:Periodontal Index; D010518:Periodontitis / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D014099:Toothbrushing / Q000295:instrumentation*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: bleeding upon probing; interdental brush; plaque index; probing pocket depth