The Effects of Dental Hygiene Instruments on Streptococcus sanguinis Adhesion to Titanium Implant Abutments.

INTRODUCTION

Maintenance of dental implant with different hygiene methods or instruments may cause a surface alteration. It directly affects bacterial colonization and adhesion on titanium implant surfaces that result in peri-implant diseases. This study aimed to compare the adhesion on titanium implant abutments after instrumentation with a rubber cup with pumice and erbium, chromium-doped: yttrium, scandium, gallium, and garnet (Er, Cr: YSGG) laser using scanning electron microscope (SEM) observation and colony-forming unit (CFU) measurement.

METHODS

Twenty-one MegaGen titanium implant abutments were randomly distributed into three groups. Seven abutments were respectively selected for the control/untreated (C) group, while the other two groups were treated with rubber cups with pumice (P) and Er, Cr: YSGG laser (L). All samples were cultured with . for bacterial colonization and adhesion. One sample for each group was selected for SEM observation, while the other samples were prepared for CFU calculation.

RESULTS

For SEM results, at 2,000× magnification, machining marks were intact in the C group, roughened in the L group, and smoothened in the P group. At 5,000× and 10,000× magnifications, moderate colonies of  were revealed in C and L groups, while sparse bacterial colonies were detected in the P group. However, for CFU results, statistical analysis showed no significant value (p>0.05) comparing all three groups.

CONCLUSION

P instrumentation revealed a lesser amount of adhesion in SEM photographs, but no statistical significance of CFU results was noted for all three groups.