Recent RCTs over 12 weeks are showing greater reductions in bleeding on probing with interdental brushes than floss in patients with open embrasures; are you updating home-care recommendations based on that? In our clinic this spring, adherence improved when we sized brushes chairside and paired them with 0.454% stannous fluoride paste, but I’m curious what outcomes you’re seeing in routine care.
We’ve shifted to brushes for “open embrasures” and now chart the size per site and send the matching colors — think Goldilocks sizing. For tight contacts we still use PTFE floss; have you seen any papilla trauma when patients oversize with the 0.454% SnF2 combo?
I’ve found that using smaller interdental brushes for tight contacts can sometimes make a difference, paired with some water to help ease the glide. It’s interesting to see how brush sizes can impact compliance. Have you tried using them for more challenging areas yet?
Those moments can be a real pain! I once had a silicone piece get way too friendly with my coffee cup during a fitting — took me forever to figure out the mystery of the missing ear! I’ve started using a silicone mat to prevent that cling.