Effect of surface treatments of porcelain on adhesion of Candida albicans.

Surface treatment of porcelain is required to minimize the adhesion of microorganisms to surfaces of the restoration. This study sought to assess the effects of 3 different porcelain surface treatments on adhesion of Candida albicans. This in vitro experimental study was conducted on 60 porcelain disks (10 × 3 mm) randomly divided into 4 groups of 15. The nonglazed group received no surface treatment; specimens in the other 3 groups were glazed in the furnace, overglazed with liquid glaze, or polished using a polishing kit. The specimens were washed, sterilized, and separately incubated with 350 µL of Candida albicans suspension for 24 hours. Specimens were then rinsed for 20 seconds and shaken in 1 mL of saline solution for 1 minute, and 20 µL of this suspension was cultured in a plate and incubated at 37°C for 48 hours. Candida albicans colonies were counted to assess the number of microorganisms adhering to each disk. Data were analyzed with the Kruskal-Wallis test. Statistically significant differences were found among the 4 groups in terms of C albicans adherence (P = 0.001). The nonglazed porcelain had the highest and the overglazed porcelain had the lowest mean adherence value. No statistically significant difference was noted between glazed and polished specimens. Based on the obtained results, overglazing resulted in the least adhesion of C albicans, and polishing provided a surface as smooth as a glazed surface.