[Clinical relevance of surface characteristics on the formation of plaque on teeth and implants].
The mouth is, from an ecologic point of view, an 'open growth system' with a continuous transport of micro-organisms. To cause infection (caries or periodontitis) or even to survive in the oral cavity, micro-organisms need to attach to one of the available surfaces, otherwise they will be removed by a continuous flow of saliva. The mouth, with his ideal growth conditions for micro-organisms, has many places, called niches, that can be colonised with micro-organisms. It is not surprising that the mouth is being colonised with more then 400 different species. This article discusses successively colonisation of the oral cavity, bacterial adhesion, plaque growth from a clinical point of view, the influence of surface properties on the initial plaque adhesion and maturation, and finally important factors influencing the plaque formation on oral implants.
Quirynen
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Afdeling Parodontologie van de School voor Tandheelkunde, Mondziekten en Kaakchirurgie, faculteit Geneeskunde, van de Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, België. Marc.Quirynen@med.kuleu-ven.ac.be
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D000818:Animals; D001422:Bacterial Adhesion / Q000502:physiology*; D018441:Biofilms / Q000254:growth & development*; D003743:Dental Enamel / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D003773:Dental Plaque / Q000209:etiology* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D003804:Dentin / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D013499:Surface Properties