title: Removal of naturally grown human biofilm with an atmospheric pressure plasma jet: An in-vitro study.
abstract: The removal of biofilm is a prerequisite for a successful treatment of biofilm-associated diseases. In this study, we compared the feasibility of an atmospheric pressure plasma device with a sonic powered brush to remove naturally grown supragingival biofilm from extracted teeth. Twenty-four periodontally hopeless teeth were extracted. Argon jet plasma with an oxygen admixture of 1 vol% and a sonically driven brush were used to remove biofilm with application times of 60 s, 180 s and 300 s. The treatment efficiency was assessed with light microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The highest biofilm removal rate was observed after an application time of 180 s/300 s with the sonic brush (80.4%/86.2%), plasma (75.5%/89.0%). These observations were confirmed by SEM. According to XPS analysis, plasma treatment decreased the amount of carbon and nitrogen, indicative of an extensive removal of proteins. Plasma treatment of naturally grown biofilm resulted in an effective cleaning of the tooth surface and was comparable to mechanical treatment. Treatment time had a significant influence on plaque reduction. These results showed that plasma could be a useful adjuvant treatment modality in cases where biofilm removal or reduction plays a decisive role, such as periodontitis and peri-implantitis. Plasma-treated biofilm on an extracted tooth.
authors.affiliation: Unit of Periodontology, Department of Restorative Dentistry, Periodontology, Endodontology, Preventive Dentistry and Pedodontics, Dental School, University Medicine Greifswald, Germany.|Leibniz Institute for Plasma Science and Technology e.V. (INP Greifswald), Greifswald, Germany.
authors.forename: Lukasz
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Jablonowski
authors.affiliation: Leibniz Institute for Plasma Science and Technology e.V. (INP Greifswald), Greifswald, Germany.
authors.forename: Katja
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Fricke
authors.affiliation: Unit of Periodontology, Department of Restorative Dentistry, Periodontology, Endodontology, Preventive Dentistry and Pedodontics, Dental School, University Medicine Greifswald, Germany.|Leibniz Institute for Plasma Science and Technology e.V. (INP Greifswald), Greifswald, Germany.
authors.forename: Rutger
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Matthes
authors.affiliation: Unit of Periodontology, Department of Restorative Dentistry, Periodontology, Endodontology, Preventive Dentistry and Pedodontics, Dental School, University Medicine Greifswald, Germany.
authors.forename: Birte
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Holtfreter
authors.affiliation: Institute of Microbiology, Ernst-Moritz-Arndt-University Greifswald, Germany.
authors.forename: Rabea
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Schlüter
authors.affiliation: Leibniz Institute for Plasma Science and Technology e.V. (INP Greifswald), Greifswald, Germany.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: von Woedtke
authors.affiliation: Leibniz Institute for Plasma Science and Technology e.V. (INP Greifswald), Greifswald, Germany.
authors.forename: Klaus-Dieter
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Weltmann
authors.affiliation: Unit of Periodontology, Department of Restorative Dentistry, Periodontology, Endodontology, Preventive Dentistry and Pedodontics, Dental School, University Medicine Greifswald, Germany.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kocher
mesh_terms: D001128:Argon; D001274:Atmospheric Pressure; D018441:Biofilms; D006801:Humans; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D010100:Oxygen; D014070:Tooth / Q000382:microbiology*; D014099:Toothbrushing / Q000295:instrumentation*
chemical_list: D001128:Argon; D010100:Oxygen
keywords: atmospheric pressure plasma; biofilm; extracted tooth; plaque; plasma medicine