Analysis of supra- and subgingival long-term biofilm formation on orthodontic bands
* Department of Orthodontics, Hannover Medical School
** Department of Prosthetic Dentistry and Biomedical Materials Science, Hannover Medical School
*** Institute of Materials Science, Hannover University, Germany
Address for correspondence Dr Anton Demling, Department of Orthodontics, Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg-Strasse 1, 30625 Hannover, Germany, E-mail: Demling.Anton{at}mh-hannover.de
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Abstract |
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Insertion of fixed orthodontic appliances induces increased biofilm formation caused by a higher number of plaque-retentive sites. The purpose of the study was to perform a quantitative analysis of supra- and subgingival long-term biofilm formation on orthodontic bands.
Ten patients (five females and five males, aged 18.3 ± 5.4 years) who had received therapy with fixed orthodontic appliances for 24 ± 9 months were enrolled in the study. Biofilm formation on 28 orthodontic bands was analyzed quantitatively with the Rutherford backscattering detection method, a scanning electron microscopy technique. The biofilm formation for the supra- and subgingival surfaces was calculated from the grey values. Statistical analysis was performed with a mixed model with the patient as the random factor. A P-value <0.05 was considered significant.
A biofilm was found on 16.1 ± 9.2 per cent of supragingival surfaces and on 3.6 ± 4.4 per cent of subgingival surfaces. Differences in biofilm formation in supra- and subgingival surfaces were statistically significant (P < 0.05) and formed a distinct demarcation line. Despite the presence of supragingival biofilm, no mature subgingival biofilm was found on the tested orthodontic bands.