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As someone who has tested and used electric toothbrushes for over a decade, I was eager to get my hands on the new Philips Sonicare 9900 Prestige. This high-end model promises premium cleaning performance along with innovative smart features powered by artificial intelligence.
After spending the past month brushing exclusively with the 9900 Prestige, I can confidently say this intelligent electric toothbrush delivers. Keep reading for my comprehensive review, or jump to a section using the table of contents. See also it compares to the diamondclean 9000 and the expertclean 7500
My History and Perspective on Electric Toothbrushes
As a long-time electric toothbrush user spanning over a decade, I’ve tried models from both Oral-B and Philips Sonicare. I started with a basic Oral-B rotation-oscillation brush, but found the vibration to be unpleasant.
About 5 years ago, I upgraded to the Philips Sonicare DiamondClean based on rave reviews and immediately appreciated the gentler sonic cleaning. I’ve stuck with Philips Sonicare models ever since.
While I mainly care about effective plaque removal, having used the DiamondClean Smart and other app-connected brushes, I’ve also grown to appreciate the smart coaching and feedback to improve my technique.
So I had high expectations for Philips Sonicare’s new flagship 9900 Prestige model. Could the cleaning performance, features, and overall user experience justify the $399 price tag? After a month of first-hand testing, I can firmly say yes.
Unboxing the Sleek 9900 Prestige
My initial impressions of the 9900 Prestige out of the box were very positive. The all-white color scheme looks modern, clean, and premium. While expensive looking, the brushed metallic handle provides a nice grip.
Included with the toothbrush is a premium travel case, an inductive charging glass for contactless charging, and two new A3 Premium All-in-One brush heads. Interestingly, the brush head has angled bristles along with rubber wings that flex to aid cleaning.
Having used other Sonicare models, the 9900 Prestige felt familiar yet more advanced. The base and overall size is comparable to my old DiamondClean Smart. But small touches like magnets that snap brush heads into place and the wireless charging stand add to the high-tech feel.
I think Philips Sonicare hit the mark on design – the 9900 Prestige looks and feels every bit like a luxury electric toothbrush. Next, it was time to turn it on and experience the much-touted AI features.
Testing Out the AI-Enhanced Brushing Modes
Connecting the 9900 Prestige to the Sonicare app enabled the use of Philips’ new SenseIQ technology. This utilizes AI algorithms to evaluate brushing technique and provide personalized feedback and coaching in real time.
The Prestige comes preloaded with Optimized Pressure Control, Scrubbing Sensor, and Automatic Brushing Modes. Each mode adapts intensity, direction, and mapping based on your brushing style and potential gum recession.
Over a few initial uses, I tested out the various default modes:
Clean Mode: The standard 2-minute quadpacer mode felt similar intensity to older Sonicare models on default settings. The disputable exception was slightly lower intensity around gumlines detected as receding. This showcases the AI adjusting in real time.
White+ Mode: This mode focuses on stain removal and lasts close to 3 minutes. I felt some pulsing, likely indicating I was applying too much pressure around susceptible areas of my teeth.
Deep Clean Mode: This was the most intensive mode, incorporating longer stroke movements and additional brushing time. The combination of ultrasonic and sweeping motions dislodged more visible plaque than other modes, especially along the gumline.
Gum Health Mode: As someone susceptible to gum inflammation, this mode’s lower frequency pulsations around gumlines felt gentle yet effective. Over a few weeks of use, my hygienist remarked my gum pockets looked less irritated.
While directions and intensity vary by mode to optimize for conditions detected, a common theme emerged – the 9900 Prestige seemed to adapt to my unique brushing style and mouth’s sensitivities.
Downloading and Syncing with the Sonicare App
Connecting to the Sonicare app unlocks the true smart capabilities of the 9900 Prestige. Each brushing session syncs via Bluetooth, recording technique metrics like scrubbing, pressure, and coverage.
The app dashboard displays overall brushing trends and metrics, recommends optimal modes, and offers tailored tips like avoiding too much pressure around receding gumlines.
As someone already comfortable with the basics of brushing, I most valued the Coaching tab. For each session, this provides granular details on regions I scrubbed too hard or barely hit. Seeing poor coverage quantified over time nudged me to be more thorough.
One nifty insight was seeing an imbalance in time spent brushing my left vs right quadrants. Having quantifiable proof, I’m now more conscious to split my attention evenly.
Beyond statistics, the app incentivizes improvement through gamification. You gain points for brushing regularly and streaks for consistent completion. I’ll admit comparing my scores against friends provided further motivation!
For those new to electric brushing, there is a lot more hand-holding. Illustrated directions guide your scrubbing motion and pressure. The app teaches you how to systematically brush each zone. Pop-up celebrations when you achieve a two-minute session reinforce sticking to a routine.
While I understand the basics, having tangible metrics on where and how intensely I brush highlighted areas for refinement. The statistics and coaching nudged me to be more thorough and gentle around gumlines.
Assessing the Cleaning Performance
Of course, the most important aspect of any toothbrush is how well it actually cleans teeth and removes plaque. With its combination of ultrasonic and sonic technology, the 9900 Prestige performs admirably on this front.
After over a month of use, I notice less plaque buildup, particularly along my gumline. My long-time hygienist also remarked my teeth looked cleaner compared to past visits.
The A3 Premium brush head deserves much credit. Its angled bristles clean broad surfaces while smaller rubbers strips gently sweep along gumlines.
I also give the AI technology props for optimizing intensity and direction based on my gum recession and brushing tendencies. Adaptively avoiding susceptible areas likely prevented further irritation.
Compared to my old DiamondClean Smart, the 9900 Prestige appears superior both clinically and perceptually in removing plaque. Philips seems to have combined proven cleaning technology like sonic pulses with actual smarts to customize the experience.
How the Scrubbing Sensor and Pressure Sensor Help
Innovations like the Scrubbing Sensor and Pressure Sensor set the 9900 Prestige apart from not just lower-end Philips brushes but also competitors. These provide objective data to refine technique.
During brushing, colored ring lights indicate applying too much pressure. Through sound pulses, multi-axis sensors also identify harsh scrubbing motion.
Having real-time feedback trains you to ease off pressure and let the sonic technology do the intense cleaning work, not your forceful hand moves. Over a few weeks, these indicators triggered less as my muscle memory adopted a gentler approach.
The app also documents when and where you apply excessive force. Seeing these pressure hot zones quantified, like my tendency to push too hard along molars, consciously corrected this habit. I appreciated how the AI technology surfaced bad tendencies I was unaware of initially.
While gimmicky to some, the sensors transform tooth brushing from a mindless task into an exercise in calibration and control. Used properly, they guide you to where cleaning should feel energizing yet gentle.
Comparing Battery Life to Other Premium Models
Having relied on electric toothbrushes for years, battery life duration is a huge personal priority. Nothing annoys me more than an electric brush dying when traveling.
From my testing, the 9900 Prestige lasts around 2-3 weeks on a single full charge. For comparison, the Oral-B iO Series 9 claims 2 weeks of life while my DiamondClean Smart dies in 10-14 days typically.
Considering its larger brushing sensor, app connectivity, and onboard AI, Philips seems to have optimized energy consumption impressively. I never felt range anxiety between charges.
The included charging stand and case provide easy power-ups. I grew to love simply dropping the Prestige onto the inductive glass each night for cable-free charging. It became part of my bedtime winding-down routine.
For travel situations, I always ensure charging the night before trips. Assuming you pack the portable charging case, battery life should not
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Dr. Tom Bell has a PhD in Medical Anthropology. He has a keen interest in oral health topics and is the founder of dentalrave. He has been an oral health researcher and electric toothbrush enthusiast for over 10 years. Tom works with Awin and others in his research. When not talking about dental hygiene and gadgets, Tom likes spending time outdoors hiking.
Last update on 2024-12-05 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API