Softer bristles consistently outperformed harder ones, indicating potential benefits for patients with orthodontic appliances. While horizontal brushing was more effective than circular motions, the direct application to clinical settings is limited due to the complexity of in-vivo toothbrush wear and individual brushing habits. Nonetheless, the choice of softer bristles and horizontal brushing techniques may increase the cleaning efficacy on orthodontic appliances.
Wüthrich et al. (Mon,) studied this question.