Ultrastructural relationship of denture surfaces, plaque and oral mucosa in denture stomatitis.
Denture plaque has been studied by transmission electron microscopy in glycolmethacrylate-embedded specimens from six patients presenting with typical denture stomatitis. Different types of thin and thick pellicles were found applied to the denture surface. These were in contact with a denture plaque made up predominantly of loosely packed Gram- positive and Gram- negative bacteria. Rounded, rod-shaped and filamentous micro-organisms were all evident. Group of Candida albicans with normal ultrastructure were noted in some limited zones. When surrounded by bacteria, especially by bacteria in corn-cob configurations the Candida showed cytological signs of degeneration. In one case out of six a bacterial penetration of the acrylic denture base was observed, through narrow and straight channels and subsurface cavities filled with micro-organisms. Bacterial penetration was also seen in the most superficial cell layers of the palatal mucous membrane.
D000368:Aged; D001419:Bacteria / Q000648:ultrastructure; D002176:Candida albicans / Q000648:ultrastructure; D003773:Dental Plaque / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D008875:Middle Aged; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D013280:Stomatitis / Q000473:pathology*; D013282:Stomatitis, Denture / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology*