Philips Sonicare Advance 4700 Power Toothbrush
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Customer Reviews of Philips Sonicare Advance 4700 Power Toothbrush
Customer Review: Helps keep the dentist away
Summary: 5 Stars
I never thought I would be the type of guy to spend over 100 bucks on a toothbrush, but I did. I have a terrible gag reflex which makes going to the dentist a royal pain in the you-know-what. After cracking a tooth that I had a root canal in 12 years ago, I bought this toothbrush. The difference was amazing. My teeth got whiter and stayed whiter. I ended up having to have oral surgery to remove the busted root canal tooth, but while I was under all the drugs I wanted them to clean my teeth and fill all my cavities.
Well they didn't do that because my teeth were already clean and I didn't have any cavities. I had not been to the dentist prior to this in about 6 or 7 years. All they did was a minor cleaning and a flouride treatment and sent me on my way. Cool.
This toothbrush is a great part of what should be a 3 pronged attack to preserve your teeth. Brushing with this brush 2 to 3 times a day (after every time you eat is a good idea) in addition to regular flossing and using a good antiseptic mouthwash should keep your teeth in excellent shape. It will also keep you from suffering from gum disease as so many people do these days.
This toothbrush is a great investment in your dental health. Buying it is MUCH cheaper than having a dentist try to re-construct your mouth. Trust me. Having a single dental implant to replace that pulled tooth of mine is going to be a 5,000 dollar process.
If you have never used one before, they feel wierd. But after one week of consistent use, you will never go back. Ordinary toothbrushes feel like futility now. I would also reccomend using the smaller brush heads as they are easier to use than the larger.
The unit is a tad bulky, but from what I hear you can even put on one of the new elite heads which is a much trimmer affair.
I really love this brush and will only get a new one (a Sonicare Elite) when this one dies. You can't go wrong with this purchase...
Customer Review: Review from a Dental Hygienist
Summary: 5 Stars
I have been a dental hygienist for 27 years. In my professional opinion, the Sonicare toothbrush is the best product around for improving oral health. I can tell when I see my patients that they have been using the Sonicare, even before they tell me. When used properly, stain just doesn't build up, plaque is reduced to a minimum, and therefore, tartar doesn't build up as much either. It should be required for any person who has periodontal disease.This product is safer than any other brush, including manual brushes, for cleaning teeth with recessed gums. It cleans thoroughly without increasing the recession or causing erosion of the roots.
I recommend all models, with the exception of the PS-1. This is a less expensive model because it does not have the 30-second timer. It still brushes well, but using the timer as directed really adds to the overall benefit of the product. I recommend using the ultra compact brush for the older models. None of the brushes for the Advance models are compatible with the new Elite model. Brushes should be changed every 4 months because the magnets under the brush head wear out. It's a little spendy, but not nearly as much as the dental work its use can prevent!
The original company, Sonicare, had a customer service department that couldn't be beat. The service seems to be a little less with Philips, but I'm hoping they improve. Call their customer service number if you have any problems with the brush.
Customer Review: Works well, but they don't last forever
Summary: 4 Stars
We bought a Sonicare set at Costco a little over three years ago. We used the two units as recommended, and the cleaning and ease of use was excellent. We also have a 2.5 year old son, and he sometimes he likes using the Sonicare. It was great while he was teething. Now he is very interested in normal brushes, but still uses it once in a while.
My only hesitation in recommending these units is their reliability. When I bought this thing I mistakenly thought the base would last for 5-10 years. Well, ours just died the other day and its beyond the 2 year warranty. Sonicare has a nice website where you can get warranty information and send email back and forth to customer service. However, once we determined it was beyond the warranty period, they were of little help. The offered to sell me another unit-- they claimed it was at a discounted price, but it is more expensive than Costco or Bed Bath and Beyond. When I asked them to meet or better that price, they said that would be bad business practice. I guess I don't understand their business model because I am now considering Oral B and Braun.
Customer Review: No cracked plastic here - I love this brush!
Summary: 5 Stars
First, I want to share what I know about why the plastic base/handle of a Sonicare may crack. The plastic collar that secures the brush head of my Sonicare Advance cracked during the first week I used my new brush. When I called Sonicare to ask for a replacement, I also got an explanation: If you use toothpaste with baking soda, the plastic will indeed crack sooner or later. The woman I spoke with at Sonicare said she didn't know exactly why this happens, but that the company was aware of the problem, and was looking into the cause and a possible solution. Anyway, they promptly sent me a new collar, and told me not to use any toothpaste with baking soda if I wanted to avoid another cracked brush. I've followed that advice, and my entire brush base is still perfect after 4 years of daily use...
Which brings me to this: I love this toothbrush! My teeth are clean, my gums are healthy, and I can drink the tea I love without developing a stained smile.
I highly recommend this brush, provided you can live without baking soda toothpaste.
Customer Review: Great idea with reliability problems
Summary: 4 Stars
First of all- I love this thing. I've had one for 2 years now and use it even on trips. Works great for keeping your teeth white and plaque-free. Pretty good product overall- the ultrasonic cleaning seems to clean well and helps keep you from wailing on your gums too much. Actually, I think a lot of the worth of this thing is in the timer- it encourages you to brush for a full two minutes and reminds you every 30 secs to move on to the next area. Problems: Reliability- I have yet to wear out a head since the plastic base has broken on every one long before the head needed replacing. That can get expensive at about $14/head every three month or so. Now even the base unit has cracked. I think the vibration from the heads must really be hard on the plastic they use. These should be beefed up or changed to somthing more durable. But even with the low reliability, I'm still buying another one. Just be warned- they work great but these things are expensive to buy and maintain. But then again, aren't your teeth worth it?