Plaque removal by the Bass and Roll brushing techniques.

The effectiveness of plaque removal using two brushes with the Bass technique and two with the Roll method was compared in a group of 38 junior dental students using a crossover experimental design. The Bass technique was superior to the Roll method in cleaning the tooth tissue adjacent to the gingival tissue on the lingual and facial aspects, but no significant differences were found in the overall effectiveness. Cleaning of all tooth surfaces was at an unacceptable level and it is concluded that efficient tooth cleaning is not achieved by detailed instruction at a single visit including a demonstration of competence by the subject and the issue of written instructions. Repetition of the instruction within 3 weeks did not achieve a higher standard of plaque removal.