Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42806325›Full record

Trial reportBMC oral health2026

App-supported powered toothbrushing during non-surgical periodontal therapy in stage III-IV periodontitis: a secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial.

Ann-Christin Feige, Miriam Cyris, Simone Sutor, Maximiliane Amelie Schlenz, Christof E Dörfer, Sonja Sälzer, Christian Graetz

Abstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Trial report in BMC oral health, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Ann-Christin Feige *Clinic of Conservative Dentistry and Periodontology, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, Christian Albrecht University of Kiel, Campus Kiel, Arnold-Heller-Str. 3, Kiel, 24105, Germany.
Miriam Cyris *Clinic of Conservative Dentistry and Periodontology, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, Christian Albrecht University of Kiel, Campus Kiel, Arnold-Heller-Str. 3, Kiel, 24105, Germany.
Simone SutorClinic of Conservative Dentistry and Periodontology, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, Christian Albrecht University of Kiel, Campus Kiel, Arnold-Heller-Str. 3, Kiel, 24105, Germany.
Maximiliane Amelie SchlenzDepartment of Prosthodontics, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, Christian Albrecht University of Kiel, Campus Kiel, Kiel, Germany.
Christof E DörferClinic of Conservative Dentistry and Periodontology, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, Christian Albrecht University of Kiel, Campus Kiel, Arnold-Heller-Str. 3, Kiel, 24105, Germany.
Sonja Sälzer *Clinic of Conservative Dentistry and Periodontology, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, Christian Albrecht University of Kiel, Campus Kiel, Arnold-Heller-Str. 3, Kiel, 24105, Germany.
Christian Graetz *Clinic of Conservative Dentistry and Periodontology, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, Christian Albrecht University of Kiel, Campus Kiel, Arnold-Heller-Str. 3, Kiel, 24105, Germany. graetz@konspar.uni-kiel.de.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8316-0565

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundAdequate plaque control is essential for successful non-surgical periodontal therapy (NSPT). App-supported powered toothbrushes (PT) may improve oral hygiene behaviour, but evidence of additional clinical benefit during NSPT in advanced periodontitis is limited. This secondary analysis of a prospectively registered four-arm randomized controlled trial compared an app-supported PT with an identical PT without app support.

methodsForty-four patients with generalized stage III-IV periodontitis were randomly assigned within the powered-toothbrush stratum to an app-supported PT (TPB, n = 23) or an identical PT without app support (CPB, n = 21) and analysed by intention-to-treat; missing data due to dropout (TPB/CPB: n = 4/n = 3) were handled using last observation carried forward. All patients received standardized NSPT. Clinical parameters were assessed at baseline (T1) and after 5-6 months (T6). ΔGBI was the registered primary outcome of the four-arm trial; ΔPPD (T6-T1), a prespecified secondary clinical outcome, was the principal outcome of this two-arm analysis. Questionnaire-based oral hygiene motivation was assessed at T1 and T6.

resultsFor the registered primary outcome, ΔGBI did not differ significantly between groups (CPB: -7.12 ± 18.73%; TPB: -9.28 ± 16.91%; p = 0.573). Both groups showed significant reductions in mean PPD (CPB: -0.59 ± 0.57 mm; TPB: -0.67 ± 0.66 mm; both p < 0.001), with no significant between-group difference in ΔPPD (mean difference: -0.08 mm, 95% CI - 0.45 to 0.29; p = 0.832). CAL improved significantly in CPB only, whereas GR increased more in TPB (p = 0.011). No significant between-group differences were observed for CAL, PCR, GBI, or PPD distribution. During the post-treatment phase, both groups showed further improvements without intergroup differences. Questionnaire outcomes revealed no significant between-group differences after correction for multiple testing, although motivation for interdental cleaning improved significantly within TPB (p = 0.002).

conclusionsApp support did not provide additional clinical benefit over powered toothbrushing without app support during NSPT. Descriptive, non-significant trends toward more favourable post-treatment changes suggest a potential role in behavioural support and maintenance, potentially requiring integration of professional guidance.

trial registrationThe fourarm randomized controlled trial was prospectively registered in the German Clinical Trials Register (DRKS00031539) on May 4, 2023. The present study reports a secondary analysis of its two poweredtoothbrush arms.

Indexed as

PeriodontitisToothbrushingAdultFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedOral HygieneProspective StudiesTreatment OutcomeMobile ApplicationsOral HygienePatient CompliancePeriodontal TherapyPeriodontitisRandomized Controlled TrialToothbrushing

Identifiers

PMID42806325

What OpenQuestion holds

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Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.