Clinical and microbiological findings at sites treated with orthodontic fixed appliances in adolescents.
BACKGROUND
Fixed orthodontic appliances can alter the subgingival microbiota. Our aim was to compare the subgingival microbiota and clinical parameters in adolescent subjects at sites of teeth treated with orthodontic bands with margins at (OBM) or below the gingival margin (OBSM), or with brackets (OBR).


METHODS
Microbial samples were collected from 33 subjects (ages, 12-18 years) in treatment more than 6 months. The microbiota was assessed by the DNA-DNA checkerboard hybridization method.


RESULTS
Bacterial samples were taken from 83 OBR,103 OBSM, and 54 OBM sites. Probing pocket depths differed by orthodontic type (P <0.001) with mean values of 2.9 mm (SD, 0.6) at OBSM sites, 2.5 mm (SD, 0.6) at OBM sites, and 2.3 mm (SD, 0.5) at OBR sites. Only Actinomyces israelii (P <0.001) and Actinomyces naeslundii (P <0.001) had higher levels at OBR sites, whereas Neisseria mucosa had higher levels at sites treated with OBSM or OBM (P <0.001). Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans was found in 25% of sites independent of the appliance.


CONCLUSIONS
Different types of orthodontic appliances cause minor differences in the subgingival microbiota (A israelii and A naeslundii) and higher levels at sites treated with orthodontic brackets. More sites with bleeding on probing and deeper pockets were found around orthodontic bands.
Department of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics, University of Berne, Berne, Switzerland. klarakim@gmx.ch
Klara
K
Kim
Kristin
K
Heimisdottir
Urs
U
Gebauer
G Rutger
GR
Persson
D000293:Adolescent; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001419:Bacteria / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification; D002648:Child; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D005881:Gingiva / Q000382:microbiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009055:Mouth / Q000382:microbiology; D009967:Orthodontic Appliances / Q000382:microbiology*; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013357:Subgingival Curettage
D004269:DNA, Bacterial