Gingival health (in vitro study)
Gingival health assessment after use of Sonicare Elite
Donly, K., University of Texas. Data on file.

Methodology: 100 subjects participated in this parallel, single-blind study comparing Sonicare Elite to another power toothbrush. Subjects were randomly assigned to treatment groups within strata defined by high or low plaque scores at screening.
Subjects were evaluated for plaque removal and gingivitis at baseline and after 2, 4 and 12 weeks of product use. Gingivitis was assessed using the Loe and Silness Gingival Index.

Results: Subjects using Sonicare Elite showed a significant reduction in gingival index scores in diseased sites and significantly fewer bleeding sites after 12 weeks compared to baseline. Plaque reduction was also observed over the course of the study.

Conclusion: Sonicare Elite reduces gingivitis.

Plaque Removal (in vivo study)
Clinical evaluation of the plaque removal efficacy and safety of the Sonicare Elite toothbrush.
Moritis K., Platt K., Johnson M.R., Berg J., Dunn J.R. Philips Oral Healthcare. Am J Dent 2002; 15 (Special Issue): 18B-22B

Methodology: 45 subjects participated in a single-blind cross-over study evaluating soft tissue safety, supragingival plaque removal and capabilities of Sonicare Elite and Sonicare Advance power toothbrushes.

Results: Both brushes were effective in removing supragingival plaque. On a percentage basis, the Sonicare Elite was statistically superior in removing supragingival plaque from the dentition as a whole, and was particularly better in hard-to-reach areas such as posterior teeth and interproximal sites.

Conclusion: Both Sonicare brushes were found to be safe and effective in the removal of supragingival plaque. In hard-to-reach areas, the Sonicare Elite was found to remove significantly more plaque than the Advance. In the interproximal spaces, the Sonicare Elite removed 20% more plaque than the Advance.

Plaque Removal (in vivo study)
Comparison of plaque removal by Sonicare Elite and Oral-B Sonic Complete.
Schaeken M, Oliemeulen M J, Dent Res 2005;84 (special issue B): abstract 0058.

Objective: To compare the plaque removal efficacy of the Sonicare Elite and Oral-B Sonic Complete.

Methodology: Sixty healthy adults, aged between 18-65 years, participated in a single-blind, randomised, crossover clinical study assessing plaque removal efficacy and gingival abrasion of Sonicare Elite and Oral-B Sonic Complete. Each toothbrush was used for one week at home for familiarisation. At the end of each period, subjects presented with 24 hours of plaque accumulation and then had an assessment of gingival abrasion and plaque using Turesky modified Quigley and Hein index before and after a 2-minute supervised brushing with the assigned toothbrush.

Results: Sonicare Elite was statistically superior over Oral-B Sonic Complete in removing plaque from the dentition taken as a whole as well as in hard-to reach areas, i.e., the posterior teeth and the interproximal spaces. Both brushes were gentle on gingival tissue.

Conclusion: Sonicare Elite was found to remove significantly more plaque than Oral-B Sonic Complete when assessed over the entire dentition as well as in the hard-to-reach areas.

Gentleness (in vitro study)
Evaluation of toothbrush-induced, dentin substrate wear, using an in-vitro ridged configuration model
Sorenson J.A., Nguyen H. Oregon Health and Science University. Am J Dent 2002; 15 (Special Issue): 26B-32B

Methodology: Thirty-six dentin specimens were evaluated using surface profilometry before and after exposure to the Sonicare Elite and a manual toothbrush for a period simulating 2 years of typical product use.

Results: The manual toothbrush had a higher amount of dentin substrate wear in both the average depth and average maximum depth measurements than the Sonicare Elite toothbrush.

Conclusion: Sonicare Elite is proven to be gentler on dentin than a manual toothbrush. No other power tooth brush is as gentle on dentin as the Sonicare Elite.

Periodontics (in vivo study)
Reduction of pocket depths in private practice recall patients using a sonic toothbrush
Knudsen J., Donnellan J. Private Practice. J Pract Hyg; 1998;7(3):60-64.

Methodology: In two general dental practices, a total of 38 recall patients with AAP-defined Class II and Class III periodontitis were enrolled in two studies with 3-month follow-up to investigate the effects of the Sonicare toothbrush on reducing probing depths.

Results: Average pocket depth reduction was 18.1% after brushing for 3 months with a Sonicare toothbrush at the first study site; average pocket depth reduction was 20.5% after brushing for 3 months with a Sonicare toothbrush at the second study site.

Conclusion: The use of the Sonicare toothbrush on a routine basis by recall periodontitis patients led to reduced pocket depth of 18.1% and 20.5% after 3 months of use.

Hypersensitivity/Gentleness (in vivo study)
Power toothbrushes, gender, and dentin hypersensitivity
Hefti A.F., Stone C. University of Florida, Clin Oral Invest. 2000; 4:91-97

Methodology: Hypersensitivity was induced using tactile and evaporative (air) stimuli in 59 randomly assigned subjects (39 female, 20 male) in an 8-week, parallel group, examiner-blind clinical study comparing the Sonicare and Oral-B® power toothbrushes.

Results: A 35% to 40% reduction in pain associated with hypersensitivity was observed after eight weeks compared to baseline levels for both groups.

Conclusion: The Sonicare toothbrush significantly reduced pain associated with dentinal hypersensitivity between 35-40%.

Stain removal (in vivo study)
Stain removal ability of the Sonicare electric toothbrush.
1 McInnes C., Johnson B., Emling R.C., Yankell S.L. University of Washington and University of Pennsylvania. J Clin Dent; 1994; 5:13-18.
2 Engel D. Esthetic Dentistry Update; 1995; 6:101-104.

Methodology: (Extrinsic stain) 19 subjects with extrinsic stain due to coffee, tea and tobacco were studied over a 4-week period.
Conclusion: Clinical evaluation showed that subjects using a Sonicare toothbrush achieved 82% stain reduction in 4 weeks.

Methodology: Chlorhexidine stain was allowed to accumulate in 30 subjects over a 2-week period. Subjects were then assigned a Sonicare toothbrush or a manual toothbrush (Oral-B 35) and instructed to brush for 2 minutes twice a day.

Conclusion: The Sonicare toothbrush was superior to the manual brush in removing Chlorhexidine stain, and achieved 54% stain reduction in 2 weeks.

Orthodontics (in vivo study)
Effectiveness of the Sonicare toothbrush on reduction of plaque, gingivitis, probing pocket depth and subgingival bacteria in adolescent orthodontic patients
Ho H.P., Niederman R. Harvard School of Dental Medicine; J Clin Dent. 1997; 8:15-19.

Methodology: The Sonicare toothbrush and a traditional manual toothbrush were compared for efficacy in improving periodontal health in young, fully-bonded/banded orthodontic patients with existing gingival inflammation in a 4-week study.

Results: Significantly greater reduction was seen in supragingival plaque, gingival inflammation, probing pocket depth and subgingival bacterial levels compared to a manual toothbrush.

Conclusion: The Sonicare toothbrush is superior to a manual toothbrush in improving periodontal health in adolescent orthodontic patients. In addition, a significant decrease in subgingival gram-negative bacteria in the Sonicare toothbrush subgroup was observed.

Medication-induced Xerostomia (in vivo study)
Use of a Sonicare toothbrush in Medication-Induced Xerostomia
Papas A., Singh M., Martuscelli G., Harington D., Johnson M.R. Tufts University. Excerpt taken from abstract presented at IADR meeting; 2002; San Diego.

Methodology: 56 subjects with medication-induced Xerostomia were randomly assigned a Sonicare or a manual toothbrush. Subjects were asked to brush for 3 minutes, with saliva collections taken during brushing and at 15, 30 and 45 minutes after brushing. Two months later, those on the manual toothbrush were switched over to Sonicare use. Saliva collections were repeated at that time and a month later.

Results: Paired analysis of the volunteers who had a manual toothbrush and then received a Sonicare showed a significant increase in salivary flow at 15 minutes post-brushing collection. Of the subjects, 96.4% felt the Sonicare was comfortable to use; 92.7% would use it to increase salivary flow. After three years, 88% said that they still used their Sonicare. 38 subjects using a Sonicare (returning 2 years later) were matched for salivary flow, age, sex and medication with 38 other subjects using a manual toothbrush, and were examined by a calibrated examiner.

Conclusion: Root caries were significantly higher in the manual toothbrush group compared to the Sonicare group. Use of a Sonicare toothbrush is helpful in the treatment of saliva hypofunction.

Implants (in vivo study)
Effectiveness of a sonic toothbrush in maintenance of dental implants
Wolf L, Kim A, Nunn M, Bakadash B. University of Minnesota. J Clin Periodontal 1998; 25: 821-828.

Methodology: 31 subjects with dental implants were randomly assigned to either Sonicare toothbrush or manual toothbrush study groups. The plaque indices (PI) and bleeding indices (BI) as well as probing depth (PD) were determined at baseline and at 4-, 8-, 12- and 24-week follow-up visits.

Results: Between-group comparisons showed that the Sonicare toothbrush subjects had significantly lower PI and BI scores than the manual toothbrush subjects at all follow-ups. There were no implant problems attributable to either type of brush.

Conclusion: The Sonicare toothbrush was as effective or better than the manual toothbrush in reducing plaque and bleeding scores.

Safety study (in vivo study)
Efficacy and safety of the Sonicare: A clinical evaluation
Johnson B., McInnes C. J Periodontol. 1994; 65:692-697.

Methodology: The efficacy and safety of the Sonicare toothbrush were studied in this single-blind study. 51 subjects were randomly assigned to either the Sonicare or a manual toothbrush. Plaque scores were assessed before and after a 2-minute brushing at baseline, one, two and four weeks. To assess long-term safety, 29 subjects returned after 6 months of product use.

Results: The results established the safety of the Sonicare and indicated that it achieves superior plaque removal compared to a manual brush while also attaining significant reductions in gingival inflammation.

Conclusion: Safety assessment after six months of use indicated no soft tissue abnormalities attributed to the products.