| ORIGINAL ARTICLE |
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| Year : 2011 | Volume
: 1
| Issue : 1 | Page : 7-12 |
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Structural analysis of in situ biofilm formation on oral titanium implants
Sebastian Grade, Wieland Heuer, Juergen Strempel, Meike Stiesch
Department of Prosthetic Dentistry and Biomedical Materials Science, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
Correspondence Address:
Sebastian Grade
Department of Prosthetic Dentistry and Biomedical Materials Science, Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg-Strasse 1, 30625 Hannover
Germany
 Source of Support: The German Research Foundation (SFB 599, D8), Conflict of Interest: None  | Check |
DOI: 10.4103/0974-6781.76425
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Background: The primary etiologic factor for peri-implant infections is the adhesion of biofilms on oral implant surfaces in the area of soft-tissue penetration. The aim of the present study was to examine in situ biofilm growth directly on implant-abutment surfaces without the use of oral splints and to determine the effect of intraoral abutment localization on biofilm growth.
Materials and Methods: Fifteen titanium healing abutments were inserted in six patients for 14 days. The newly formed supragingival biofilm on the titanium surface of the healing abutments was stained with fluorescent Live/Dead Baclight kit before examination by confocal laser scanning microscopy. The biofilm was scanned in terms of its surface coverage and thickness and different sites.
Results: The results show that the biofilm has a different structure in every patient, with the thickness of the biofilm structure ranging between 0 and 80 ΅m and the surface coverage between 0 and 97% of the abutment surface. There was similar biofilm surface coverage at different intraoral locations, whereas the biofilm was significantly thicker in the mandible as compared to maxillary implant abutments.
Conclusion: The method uniquely describes an effective way to depict biofilm development on implant surfaces in the supra- and sub-gingival regions. |
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