Efficacy of cleaning tablets for removable orthodontic appliances: an in vivo pilot study.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to test the cleaning effect of three commercially available effervescent tablet products on acrylic resin surfaces compared to water as control medium.

Methods: A total of 20 volunteers were instructed to wear a vacuum-formed maxillary splint continuously for 96 h. Each splint incorporated four resin discs in the palate area. Each of these PMMA (polymethyl methacrylate) discs was split into two specimens which were analyzed upon removing the splint after the 4-day period. One specimen per disc was analyzed uncleaned and one after cleaning, using one of the investigated tablet products according to the manufacturer's recommendations or water as control medium. The outcomes of cleaning were evaluated with the modified ortho-phthaldialdehyde (OPA) method by determining the amounts of surface protein.

Results: Significant differences in relative (%) protein removal were noted between all three tablet products and water, and fittydent super® was significantly more effective in removing biofilm than Kukis®. No significant differences were observed between fittydent super® and NitrAdine® Ortho&Junior™ or NitrAdine® Ortho&Junior™ and Kukis®.

Conclusion: The modified OPA method proved to be successful in examining protein-containing contaminations on the specimens, and the effervescent products tested were more effective than pure water in removing contaminants from orthodontic appliances. These results are, however, confined to soft plaque not older than 4 days.