Previous in vivo studies suggested that a high substratum surface free energy (s.f.e.) and an increased surface roughness facilitate the supragingival plaque accumulation. It is the aim of this clinical trial to explore the "relative" effect of a combination of these surface characteristics on plaque growth. 2 strips, one made of fluorethylenepropylene (FEP) and the other made of cellulose acetate (CA) (polymers with surface free energies of 20 and 58 erg/cm2, respectively) were stuck to the labial surface of the central incisors of 16 volunteers. Half the surface of each strip was smooth (Ra +/- 0.1 microns) and the other half was rough (Ra +/- 2.2 microns). The undisturbed plaque formation on these strips was followed over a period of 6 days. The plaque extension at day 3 and 6 was scored planimetrically from color slides. Finally, of 6 subjects samples were taken from the strips as well as from a neighbouring smooth tooth surface (s.f.e. 88 erg/cm2; Ra +/- 0.14 microns). These samples were analysed with a light microscope to score the proportion of coccoid cells, and small, medium, and large rods or fusiform bacteria. At day 3, a significant difference in plaque accumulation was only obtained when a rough surface was compared with a smooth surface. However, at day 6, significantly less plaque was recorded on FEP smooth (19.4%) when compared with CA smooth (39.5%). Between FEP rough (96.8%) and CA rough (98.2%), no significant difference appeared.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

In nine patients with fixed prostheses supported by endosseous titanium implants, 2 titanium abutments (transmucosal part of the implant) were replaced by either an unused standard abutment or a roughened titanium abutment. After 3 months of habitual oral hygiene, plaque samples were taken for differential phase-contrast microscopy, DNA probe analysis, and culturing. Supragingivally, rough abutments harbored significantly fewer coccoid micro-organisms (64 vs. 81%), which is indicative of a more mature plaque. Subgingivally, the observations depended on the sampling procedure. For plaque collected with paper points, only minor qualitative and quantitative differences between both substrata could be registered. However, when the microbiota adhering to the abutment were considered, rough surfaces harbored 25 times more bacteria, with a slightly lower density of coccoid organisms. The presence and density of periodontal pathogens subgingivally were, however, more related to the patient's dental status than to the surface characteristics of the abutments. These results justify the search for optimal surface smoothness for all intra-oral and intra-sulcular hard surfaces for reduction of bacterial colonization and of periodontal pathogens.

The purpose of this study was to examine the change in plaque area over nine days in vivo on four materials with different sinface freeenergies (s.f e.). Twelve healthy dental students participated in a crossover, split-mouth, double-blind study. Supragingivalplaqueformation was recorded over a nine-day period, on four different materials: fluorethylenepropylene (Teflon) (FEP), parafilm (PAR), cellulose acetate (CA), and enamel (E) with s.f. e. of 20, 26, 57, and 88 erg/cm2, respectively. Strips made from the first three materials were stack to the buccal surface of an upper incisor. The remaining incisor was carefully polished and served as an enamel surface. The increase in plaque was evaluated after three, six, and nine days. A planimetrical analysis was used so that the plaque area could be expressed as a percentage of the total buccal tooth surface. This procedure was repeated on each subject, so that at the end, each pair of central or lateral incisors received the four tested materials.The results indicated that the adherence of micro-organisms on pellicle-coated substrata was influenced by the material's s.f e.; there was an association between the s.fje. of the substrata and the supragingival plaque extension in vivo. High surface free-energy substrata in the oral cavity attracted more micro-organisms than did low energetic materials. Additionally, the bacterial adhesion seemed very weak on surfaces with a low s.f e. J Dent Res 68(5): 796-799, May, 1989 Introduction.

The total bone volume measured underneath a membrane using the micro-CT when compared with histological sections remained within a 16% error. This is because of the scattering effect of the metallic membrane and the impossibility to distinguish newly formed bone from the original skull bone on the micro-CT images.