Review (4/5): Why It Will Not Last As Long As your Old Oral-B
I was puzzled by all the complaints about the short life of the Oral-B 800 Series toothbrushes because my five-year-old Oral-B was still going strong. I ordered a new 8850 DLX anyway, because the gasket between the body and replaceable head that prevents liquid from leaking into the interior of the body had finally deteriorated and I figured that it was just a matter of time till the moisture caused the motor and electronics to fail. When the 8850 DLX arrived, the reason for the short life span was obvious. The head and body design was the same as my old one, but the gasket has been eliminated!! I guess it makes sense from a business standpoint as they have probably doubled their business by decreasing the replacement time from 5 years to 2 years.
From a performance standpoint, it is still a great toothbrush and I would not use anything else. It's a must have for anyone with sensitive gums who is using Sensodine toothpaste to mask the pain. It completely eliminated the sensitivity of my gums and has changed my dentist's assessment from "disaster area" to "wish mine were that healthy". I find that it works a lot better with gel toothpaste than regular.