The influence of surface free energy and surface roughness on early plaque formation

Abstract

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)

Strength and Surface Roughness of Cross Linking Acrylic Resin Processed by Different Heat Curing Methods

“…Bacterial and fungal species have more of a propensity to adhere to rough denture base materials. (33,34) The surface roughness of a material used for removable prostheses is of importance because it affects, directly or indirectly; retention, staining resistance, plaque accumulation, oral tissue health, and patient comfort. (35,36) On the other hand, the results of this study showed that polymerization in the autoclave led to a statistically significant difference in surface roughness test that indicate at this level of heat and pressure of autoclave processing cycle the beginning of reaction of the material to external elements.…”

Effect of various treatment and glazing (coating) techniques on the roughness and wettability of ceramic dental restorative surfaces

“…Their ability to yield relatively smooth surfaces, which minimizes plaque deposition and tissue inflammation, is another important reason for their preference in dental applications. Therefore, the degree of surface roughness of dental ceramics and its effect on biocompatibility have been widely studied [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9]. Surface roughness also determines the degree of abrasion caused by one tooth on another.…”

Surface roughness influences Candida albicans biofilm formation on denture materials

“…Candida albicans has been reported to play a major role in Candida-associated denture stomatitis (CADS) pathogenesis, and has been found on both poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) acrylic resin and poly(ethyl methacrylate) (PEMA) liner materials [1][2][3][4][5][6][7]. For a successful colonization, C. albicans must first adhere to the denture surface [8] and the substratum characteristics, such as the surface roughness (SR), could influence this process.…”

“…The higher porosity provides an increased chance of microbial retention and protection from the shear forces that arise during mechanical and chemical cleaning [9,10]. PMMA denture bases with a SR above 0.2 µm have been shown to be readily colonized by C. albicans [6,7]. The physical characteristics of denture liners also make them susceptible to sorption and dimensional changes, which can result in porous surfaces that are easily colonized by fungal cells [5].…”