Are electric toothbrushes better for brushing than regular ones? all of my friends seem to be getting electric toothbrushes, and i was just wondering if they actually make you brush better, or if they're just a fad?

They : They are definitely not a fad. I personally use sonicare diamond clean. Depending on your dexterity, a manual toothbrush may not do a good enough job. If you brush well, the power tooth brushes will help do a great job. The biggest problem is that most people depend on the power tooth brush to do all the work. You still must brush normal. The only exception are the braun/oral-b tooth brushes. Since they have a round head, you must, basically, brush each tooth individually like we do for a dental cleaning. Ask your dentist which one he/she recommends and why. Ask if he/she will go over how to use it, if you bring it in.

You : You may be cleaning your teeth as well or even better than your friends are with their electric tooth brushing. At your next dental visit ask your dentist or hygienist to critique your brushing. If you are doing an excellent job, why change?

I'm : I'm a fan! they are not a fad. Would you rather use a power saw or a hand saw? I believe the efficiency of the electic toothbrush makes it easier to clean an entire mouth in a reasonable amount of time. Especially good if manual dexterity is a problem.