title: Devices for In situ Development of Non-disturbed Oral Biofilm. A Systematic Review.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this review was to assess the types of devices used for in situ development of oral biofilm analyzed microbiologically.
  
  
  METHODS
  A systematic search of the literature was conducted to identify all in situ studies of oral biofilm which used an oral device; the Ovid MEDLINE and EMBASE databases complemented with manual search were used. Specific devices used to microbiologically analyze oral biofilm in adults were included. After reading of the selected full texts, devices were identified and classified according to the oral cavity zone and manufacturing material. The "ideal" characteristics were analyzed in every group.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The search provided 787 abstracts, of which 111 papers were included. The devices used in these studies were classified as palatal, lingual or buccal. The last group was sub-classified in six groups based on the material of the device. Considering the analyzed characteristics, the thermoplastic devices and the Intraoral Device of Overlaid Disk-holding Splints (IDODS) presented more advantages than limitations.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Buccal devices were the most commonly used for the study of in situ biofilm. The majority of buccal devices seemed to slightly affect the volunteer's comfort, the IDODS being the closest to the "ideal" model.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  New devices for in situ oral biofilm microbiological studies should take into account the possible effect of their design on the volunteer's comfort and biofilm formation.
authors.affiliation: Oral Sciences Research Group, Special Needs Unit, School of Medicine and Dentistry, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela La Coruña, Spain.
authors.forename: Isabel
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Prada-López
authors.affiliation: Oral Sciences Research Group, Special Needs Unit, School of Medicine and Dentistry, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela La Coruña, Spain.
authors.forename: Víctor
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Quintas
authors.affiliation: Dental Prosthesis Laboratory, School of Medicine and Dentistry, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela La Coruña, Spain.
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Vilaboa
authors.affiliation: Oral Sciences Research Group, Special Needs Unit, School of Medicine and Dentistry, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela La Coruña, Spain.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Suárez-Quintanilla
authors.affiliation: Oral Sciences Research Group, Special Needs Unit, School of Medicine and Dentistry, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela La Coruña, Spain.
authors.forename: Inmaculada
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Tomás
keywords: biofilm; dental plaque; device design; in situ; splints