Efficacy of the fully automated oral care robot with adjunctive MA-T gel for dental biofilm removal: A prospective crossover study

Background Dental biofilm (DB) is the main cause of periodontal disease and dental caries, but individuals with impaired manual dexterity may struggle to brush effectively. Although fully automatic toothbrushing devices exist, their DB removal efficacy remains limited. The clinical efficacy of the next-generation multifunctional oral care robot (OCR) has not yet been evaluated. This study evaluated the DB removal efficacy of the OCR compared with manual and sonic toothbrushes and assessed the antibacterial effect of the Matching Transformation System (MA-T) gel used with OCR. Materials and methods In this prospective crossover study, 10 dental professionals brushed under four conditions: manual toothbrush, sonic toothbrush, OCR, and OCR with MA-T gel (OCRM). DB removal was assessed using O'Leary's Plaque Control Record (PCR), and dental biofilm reduction rates (DBRR) were compared among the four methods. For the OCR and OCRM groups, saliva samples were collected from five randomly selected participants to assess total streptococcal and Streptococcus mutans ( S. mutans ) counts. Results PCR scores decreased significantly after brushing in all groups ( p < 0.05). Pairwise comparisons demonstrated a significantly greater DBRR for the manual toothbrush than for the sonic toothbrush ( p < 0.05), whereas no significant differences were observed among the other brushing methods. Salivary total streptococcal counts decreased more with OCRM than with OCR ( p < 0.05). S. mutans reduction did not differ significantly. Conclusion The OCR demonstrated DB removal efficacy comparable to manual and sonic toothbrushes. OCRM resulted in a greater reduction of salivary total streptococci than OCR alone.