Supragingival dental biofilm profile and biofilm control during orthodontic treatment with fixed orthodontic appliance: A randomized controlled trial

T Zibar Belasic; M Badnjevic; M Zigante; B Mohar Vitezic; S Spalj; E P Markova-Car

doi:10.1016/j.archoralbio.2024.105984

Supragingival dental biofilm profile and biofilm control during orthodontic treatment with fixed orthodontic appliance: A randomized controlled trial

Arch Oral Biol. 2024 Apr 30:164:105984. doi: 10.1016/j.archoralbio.2024.105984. Online ahead of print.

Authors

T Zibar Belasic¹, M Badnjevic², M Zigante³, B Mohar Vitezic⁴, S Spalj⁵, E P Markova-Car⁶

Affiliations

¹ University of Trieste, Department of Medical, Surgical and Health Sciences, Piazza dell'Ospitale 1, Trieste, Italy.
² University of Rijeka, Faculty of Dental Medicine, Department of Orthodontics, Kresimirova 40, Rijeka, Croatia. Electronic address: matea.badnjevic@fdmri.uniri.hr.
³ University of Rijeka, Faculty of Dental Medicine, Department of Orthodontics, Kresimirova 40, Rijeka, Croatia; Clinical Hospital Center Rijeka, Dental Clinic, Kresimirova 40, Rijeka, Croatia.
⁴ Clinical Hospital Center Rijeka, Dental Clinic, Kresimirova 40, Rijeka, Croatia; University of Rijeka, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Brace Branchetta 20, Rijeka, Croatia.
⁵ University of Rijeka, Faculty of Dental Medicine, Department of Orthodontics, Kresimirova 40, Rijeka, Croatia; Clinical Hospital Center Rijeka, Dental Clinic, Kresimirova 40, Rijeka, Croatia; J. J. Strossmayer University of Osijek, Faculty of Dental Medicine and Health, Department of Dental Medicine, Crkvena 21, Osijek, Croatia.
⁶ University of Rijeka, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Basic and Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, Brace Branchetta 20, Rijeka, Croatia.

PMID: 38701663
DOI: 10.1016/j.archoralbio.2024.105984

Abstract

Objective: The effectiveness of supragingival dental biofilm control during orthodontic treatment and changes in the bacterial profile were analyzed.

Design: Sixty-four participants aged 12-22 years (57% female) were included in the study. Participants underwent orthodontic treatment with fixed appliances and were randomly assigned to one of the three groups, which during a period of one month: (I) used chlorhexidine digluconate (CHX), (II) used high concentration of fluoride (F) gel and (III) performed standard oral hygiene. The plaque and gingivitis index, pH of biofilm and white spot lesions (WSL) were assessed. Changes of the bacteria in the biofilm were analyzed by the quantitative polymerase chain reaction RESULTS: Increase in the plaque index, pH of biofilm, and WSL was observed during orthodontic treatment with standard oral hygiene. Large interindividual variability was present, and the effects of one-month use of fluorides and CHX on clinical parameters were not significant. Despite standard hygiene the abundance of studied biofilm bacteria increased - the most Streptoccocus mutans (14.2x) and S. salivarius (3.3x), moderate Veillonella parvula (3x) and the least S. sobrinus (2.3x) and Agregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans (1.9x). The use of CHX reduced S. sobrinus (2.2x) and A. actinomycetemcomitans (1.9x). Fluoride use reduced A. actinomycetemcomitans (1.3x) and S. sobrinus (1.2x). Fluorides better controlled S. mutans than CHX.

Conclusion: Bacterial biomass in supragingival biofilm increased during treatment with metal orthodontic appliances, with greater increase in cariogenic bacteria than periopathogens. Fluoride controlled S. mutans, while CHX S. sobrinus and A. actinomycetemcomitans.

Keywords: Antiseptics; Biofilm; Fluorides; Nitinol; Orthodontics.