Multi-species biofilm formation on dental materials and an adhesive patch.
OBJECTIVE
This laboratory study assessed the influence of surface roughness and contact time on the formation of a multi-species biofilm on dental materials (adhesive patch, composite, amalgam and enamel).


METHODS
Rough and smooth specimens of each material were prepared and the mean surface roughness was assessed profilometrically. The biofilms were then allowed to grow either for 15 min or 15 h respectively on saliva-preconditioned specimens of each material, and colony-forming units on blood agar were counted (N = 9/group) Surface morphology was assessed using a scanning electron microscope.


RESULTS
No difference was found in the biofilm formation rate among all the materials that were tested. After a short incubation period, a statistical significant difference between smooth and rough samples could be detected on amalgam and on the resin composite material (P < or = 0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
Surface roughness may influence the initial biofilm adherence, but differences vanish following growth and maturation. The multi-species biofilm offers a reliable laboratory model for studying plaque formation.
Dezelic
Tomislav
T
Clinic for Preventive Dentistry, Periodontology and Cariology, Center for Dental Medicine, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
Guggenheim
Bernhard
B
Schmidlin
Patrick R
PR
D000179:Acrylates / Q000737:chemistry; D000180:Acrylic Resins / Q000737:chemistry; D000190:Actinomyces / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D018441:Biofilms / Q000254:growth & development*; D002176:Candida albicans / Q000502:physiology; D020099:Coated Materials, Biocompatible / Q000737:chemistry; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D003188:Composite Resins / Q000737:chemistry; D003722:Dental Alloys / Q000737:chemistry; D003723:Dental Amalgam / Q000737:chemistry; D003743:Dental Enamel / Q000382:microbiology; D003764:Dental Materials / Q000737:chemistry*; D016967:Fusobacterium nucleatum / Q000502:physiology; D008422:Materials Testing; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D011109:Polymethacrylic Acids / Q000737:chemistry; D011140:Polyurethanes / Q000737:chemistry; D012464:Saliva, Artificial / Q000737:chemistry; D019533:Streptococcus oralis / Q000502:physiology; D016986:Streptococcus sobrinus / Q000502:physiology; D013499:Surface Properties; D013997:Time Factors; D014678:Veillonella / Q000502:physiology
D000179:Acrylates; D000180:Acrylic Resins; D020099:Coated Materials, Biocompatible; D003188:Composite Resins; D003722:Dental Alloys; D003764:Dental Materials; D011109:Polymethacrylic Acids; D011140:Polyurethanes; D012464:Saliva, Artificial; C090969:Tetric; C452226:tetric flow composite resin; C033470:Dispersalloy; D003723:Dental Amalgam; C040415:heliobond