Tooth Brushing Methods: Bass & Modified Stillman Techniques

Many tooth brushing methods are available to make the oral health environment more efficiently and effectively. They are categorised into pa...

Many tooth brushing methods are available to make the oral health environment more efficiently and effectively. They are categorised into pattern of motion of brushing.

Vibrating Motion: Stillman, Charters, and Bass techniques

Roll Motion: Roll or modified Stillman technique

Circular Motion: Fones technique

Vertical Motion: Leonard technique

Horizontal Motion: Scrub technique 

Bass Technique

Patient with periodontal problems are advised to follow the bass technique. This method of tooth brushing is also called as sulcular technique. The tooth brush bristle are engaged in the sulcus and adapting the bristle tips to the free gingival margin to reach the supragingival plaque biofilm as well as little access for removal of the subgingival calculus.

Steps

1) Place the head of the brush parallel to the occulusal plane with covering the 3 to 4 teeths. It starts from the most distal tooth in the arch.

2) Bristles are placed at the angle of 45° to the gingival margin.

3) Exert gentle vibration by short, back and forth motion without dislodging the bristle.

A) Place the toothbrush so that the bristles are angled approximately 45 degree from the tooth surfaces. 

B) Start at the most distal tooth in the arch, and use a vibrating, back-and-forth motion to brush.

A) Proper position of the brush in the mouth aims the bristle tips toward the gingival margin. 

B) Diagram shows the ideal placement, which permits slight subgingival penetration of the bristle tips.

Modified Stillman Technique

The bristle of the brush is partly on the cervical 3rd of the teeth and on the gingival margin at an oblique angle to the long axis of the tooth. Then apply pressure on the gingival marginmargin to produce blanching. Then do the 20 short back and forth motion on the attached gingiva, gingival margin and tooth simultaneously. Brushes with soft and medium bristles are recommended for this technique. Otherwise hard bristles may cause trauma to the gingiva. Proceed the same to all the surfaces of the teeth surface. For lingual surface of the teeth, held the tooth brush in vertical position and clean it. For occulusal surface, the bristle of the brushes should be perpendicular to it.

Uses

This technique is recommended for cleaning the gingival recession and exosed root surface to prevent tissue destruction.

This method requires placement of the sides of the bristles against the teeth and gingival while moving the brush with short, back-and-forth strokes in a coronal direction.