title: Candida albicans adherence to resin-composite restorative dental material: influence of whole human saliva.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Attachment of Candida albicans to oral surfaces is believed to be a critical event in the colonization of the oral cavity and in the development of oral diseases such as Candida-associated denture stomatitis. Although there is considerable information about the adhesion of C albicans to buccal epithelial cells and prosthetic materials, there is very little information about the adhesion of C albicans to composite restorative materials. The purpose of this study was to investigate the degree of adhesion of C albicans to a resin-composite restorative material (Herculite).
  
  
  METHODS
  The adhesion of 2 strains of C albicans, a germinative and a germ tube-deficient mutant, was studied by a visual method after incubating the fungus and the resin with and without human whole saliva.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In absence of saliva, the adhesion of the C albicans germinative isolate to the resin showed an increase in parallel with the germination, reaching a maximum at the end of the experiment (120 minutes). However, no significant differences were observed in the adhesion of the agerminative mutant during the period of time studied. In the presence of saliva, the adhesion of both isolates to the resin was significantly lowered.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Germination and the presence of human whole saliva are important factors in the adhesion of C albicans to the resin-composite restorative material Herculite.
authors.affiliation: Department of Estomatología, Facultad de Medicina y Odontología, Universidad del País Vasco, Vizcaya, Spain. loremaza@euskalnet.net
authors.forename: José Luis
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Maza
authors.forename: Natalia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Elguezabal
authors.forename: Carlota
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Prado
authors.forename: Joseba
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ellacuría
authors.forename: Iñaki
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Soler
authors.forename: José
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pontón
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D002176:Candida albicans / Q000502:physiology*; D002448:Cell Adhesion; D003188:Composite Resins; D003793:Dental Restoration, Permanent; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D019279:Resin Cements; D012463:Saliva / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D003188:Composite Resins; D019279:Resin Cements; C065770:Herculite XR