Skip to content
Brush & Floss
Menu

Buying guide

Best electric toothbrushes for braces

Chosen from what the Amazon listings state, not tested by us. How we pick

Note: This page contains affiliate links. If you buy through them we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Learn more

Top picks at a glance

Compare them all

  • Best overall

    Sonicare Next-Gen 9900 Prestige: SenseIQ and 24 settings

    SenseIQ adapts the intensity to your brushing style, according to Philips.

    Check price on AmazonAffiliate link

  • Best value

    Sonicare 7500: Sensitive mode, light ring, 21-day runtime

    The title quotes a 21-day runtime, the longest battery figure in this guide.

    Check price on AmazonAffiliate link

  • Most features

    Oral-B iO6: Sensitive and Super-Sensitive, display

    The built-in display shows mode, brushing time, refill reminders and battery level.

    Check price on AmazonAffiliate link

Brackets and wires make brushing slower and fiddlier, and many people with fixed braces want a brush that can be turned down and that warns them when they press too hard. None of the listings below mention braces directly, so this guide does not claim any brush is made for them. Instead it compares six Oral-B iO and Philips Sonicare handles on the features that matter most around brackets: a named sensitive or gentle setting, the number of intensity levels, the type of pressure feedback, and how many brush heads come in the box, since heads wear faster when they catch on brackets. Every fact is taken from the Amazon listing. Your orthodontist is the right person to advise on technique and which head shape to use, so treat this as a comparison of features, not dental advice.

All products compared

Details as stated in the Amazon listing or by the manufacturer. See the current price on Amazon.

The products in detail

No. 1 · PHILIPS

Sonicare Next-Gen 9900 Prestige: SenseIQ and 24 settings

SenseIQ adapts intensity to how you brush, and coverage feedback shows areas you missed. The most feedback in this guide, with a charging travel case.

In its favour

  • SenseIQ adapts the intensity to your brushing style, according to Philips.
  • Coverage feedback glows blue for completed areas and the display shows what you missed afterwards.
  • Eight modes and three intensities, plus a Prestige charging travel case and a charging base with glass.

Good to know

  • Only one A3 head is included, so plan for spares early if you have braces.
  • The listing does not say which of the eight modes is a sensitive setting.
Check price on AmazonAffiliate link

Listing title: Philips Sonicare Next-Generation DiamondClean 9900 Prestige Sonic Elec...

No. 2 · PHILIPS

Sonicare 7500: Sensitive mode, light ring, 21-day runtime

A quoted 21-day runtime means the 7500 rarely needs charging, and a light ring shows when pressure is too high. A low-fuss choice for daily use.

In its favour

  • The title quotes a 21-day runtime, the longest battery figure in this guide.
  • A visual pressure sensor lights up when you brush too hard.
  • Four plainly named modes: Clean, Sensitive, White and Gum Health.

Good to know

  • The USB-A charging stand comes without a power adaptor.
  • No display or EasyStart is mentioned in the listing.
Check price on AmazonAffiliate link

Listing title: Philips Sonicare 7500 Series Sonic Electric Toothbrush − Next-Generati...

No. 3 · Oral-B

Oral-B iO6: Sensitive and Super-Sensitive, display

The iO6 display shows the mode, time, refill reminders and battery, so there is no guessing. Suits users who like to see what the brush is doing.

In its favour

  • The built-in display shows mode, brushing time, refill reminders and battery level.
  • The pressure sensor signals too hard, too soft or just right.
  • A travel case or head holder and spare heads are included.

Good to know

  • Five modes may be more than a user who wants simplicity needs.
  • Battery life is described as days but not given as a number.
Check price on AmazonAffiliate link

Listing title: Oral-B iO6 Electric Toothbrush, Black, with Travel Case and Spare Head...

No. 4 · PHILIPS

Sonicare 9900 Prestige: SenseIQ and 4 A3 heads

This 9900 Prestige lowers intensity automatically when you press too hard and ships with four A3 heads. A premium choice with plenty of spare heads.

In its favour

  • SenseIQ decreases intensity when you press too hard, according to Philips.
  • Four A3 Premium All-in-One heads come in the box.
  • Five modes, three intensities, app coverage feedback, a charging travel case and a charging stand.

Good to know

  • There is no display mentioned, so feedback relies on the light ring and the app.
  • The listing does not name the five modes, so a dedicated sensitive mode is not confirmed.
Check price on AmazonAffiliate link

Listing title: Philips Sonicare DiamondClean 9900 Prestige Electric Toothbrush, with ...

No. 5 · PHILIPS

Sonicare 7100: pressure sensor that lowers vibration

The 7100 adds EasyStart and SmarTimer to a pressure sensor that also lowers vibration. Four spare heads mean fewer trips to buy replacements.

In its favour

  • EasyStart and SmarTimer are both named in the title.
  • The pressure sensor flashes purple and reduces vibration when brushing is too hard.
  • Four G3 heads and a charging travel case are included.

Good to know

  • The four modes are not named, which makes picking one less obvious.
  • Battery life is not stated, and no power adapter is in the box.
Check price on AmazonAffiliate link

Listing title: Philips Sonicare 7100 Electric Toothbrush, Sonic Toothbrush with App, ...

No. 6 · Oral-B

Oral-B iO5: two soft modes, colour pressure light

The iO5 has the same two soft modes as the iO6 and a colour pressure light, without a screen. A simpler option for a teenager's first electric brush.

In its favour

  • Sensitive and Super Sensitive modes are both included among five settings.
  • The pressure light glows red, white or green to show which way to adjust.
  • A spare head and a travel case are included.

Good to know

  • Only one spare head comes in the box, which may not last long with brackets.
  • No display is mentioned and battery life is not stated.
Check price on AmazonAffiliate link

Listing title: Oral-B iO5 Electric Toothbrush, Black, with Travel Case and Spare Head

More buying guides: Choosing an electric toothbrush

Brush and Floss chooses every product independently, based on what its Amazon listing states. We may earn a commission on purchases made through the affiliate links above. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.