title: Early plaque colonization on human cementum.
abstract: We have described the morphology of developing plaque on cementum in an in vivo human model. Slabs of cementum obtained from sound teeth, rendered anorganic with 5% sodium hypochlorite, were glued to orthodontic brackets and positioned on the upper canines, premolars and molars in 8 volunteers. The brackets were removed after 2, 4, 8, 24 h and processed for scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Within 2 h, a thin pellicle covered the cementum surface, with few micro-organisms detectable. At 4 and 8 h, coccoid plaques were present. Filaments inserted perpendicularly to the plaque surface were seen at 24 h. The results indicate that early bacterial colonization of human cementum is a selective process, mediated by an organic pellicle and mainly involves cocci.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dentistry and Stomatology, Medical School, University of Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Carrassi
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Santarelli
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Abati
mesh_terms: D001419:Bacteria / Q000648:ultrastructure; D001422:Bacterial Adhesion; D018407:Bacterial Physiological Phenomena; D003739:Dental Cementum / Q000382:microbiology*; D003741:Dental Deposits / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D044622:Dental Pellicle; D003773:Dental Plaque / Q000382:microbiology*; D006801:Humans; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning