Objective: This study proposed a method of using a modified micro-bubble generator with its ejection nozzle connected to an ergonomically designed soft teeth-tray for plaque removal. The applicability of this method was verified and the influence on plaque removal efficacy of some parameters of this device was clarified.
Methods: The micro-bubble generator used in this study has 5 rotation speed settings, 5 nozzle sizes, and a soft teeth-tray ejection pore diameters. These were used as independent variables to investigate their effect on the ejected flow volume, velocity and micro-bubble dimension, and how they eventually affect the plaque removal efficacy from a denture.
Results: When the micro-bubble generator coupled with large (4.8 mm) ejection pore teeth-tray and the largest (1.2 mm) nozzle diameter more than 98% of plaque can be removed; its applicability on cleaning denture can be verified. In general, the larger nozzle diameter and teeth-tray ejection pore diameter will remove more plaques; while the higher the flow velocity and the smaller the micro-bubble of the ejected stream, better cleaning efficacy can be achieved.
Conclusion: The application of micro-bubble on plaque removal seems effective, although at this moment it is applied on denture cleaning. The finding of the influence of some critical design parameters of micro-bubble generator and variables of ejected stream can be referred to further design a new micro-bubble cleaner for effective plaque removal from the teeth in human oral cavity.
Keywords: Micro-bubble generator; dental plaque removal; the soft teeth-tray.