[The electric toothbrush. Present situation].
During the last decade several electric toothbrushes have been introduced with an innovative brushing technique. Scientific research indicates that after proper oral hygiene instruction these toothbrushes can be more effective than a manual toothbrush. This increased efficacy is mainly caused by an improved plaque removal from the proximal surfaces. Besides effectiveness, reasons such as facility and boosting of motivation can be reasons to advise the use of an electric toothbrush. However, these secondary arguments have sofar not been supported by scientific data.