Quantification of Streptococcus mutans in different types of ligature wires and elastomeric chains: an in vivo study

• Grant number: 13/02536-5
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: September 01, 2013
• End date: August 31, 2014
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Dentistry - Orthodontics
• Principal Investigator: Fábio Lourenço Romano
• Grantee: Fábio Lourenço Romano
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Odontologia de Ribeirão Preto (FORP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Ribeirão Preto , SP, Brazil
• Associated researchers: Carolina Patrícia Aires Garbellini ; José Tarcísio Lima Ferreira ; Paulo Nelson Filho

Abstract

Orthodontic appliances are composed of a variety of solid and elastic materials presenting irregular surfaces, which increases retention of bacterial biofilm and makes mechanical cleaning difficult. Among the orthodontic devices used for mechanical corrective therapy, one can cite conjugated wires and chain elastomeric ligatures. The objective of the present in vivo study was to quantify the amount of Streptococcus mutans (SM) on the surface of different types of conjugated wires and compare it to that of chain elastomeric ligatures (control). Samples of biofilm were collected from the buccal surface of premolars of volunteer adult patients, who were already wearing orthodontic fixed appliance. SM was found in the oral cavity of patients, who were selected for receiving one of the following devices (involving first molar and premolars at different quadrants of the oral cavity): I) chain elastomeric ligature (control); II) strand twisted wire above the archwire; III) 8-strand twisted wire below the archwire and IV) strand twisted wire below the archwire. After 7 days, the orthodontic devices were removed and submitted to microbiological processing and counting of colony-forming units (CFUs) for SM per milligram of biofilm wet weight. Specimens representing each group were processed for analysis with scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results were submitted to ANOVA and Tukey-Kramer test at a significance level of 5%. (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

MARIANA UMEKITA SHIROZAKI; JOSÉ TARCÍSIO LIMA FERREIRA; ERIKA CALVANO KÜCHLER; MÍRIAN AIKO NAKANE MATSUMOTO; CAROLINA PATRÍCIA AIRES; PAULO NELSON-FILHO; FÁBIO LOURENÇO ROMANO. Quantification of Streptococcus mutans in Different Types of Ligature Wires and Elastomeric Chains. Brazilian Dental Journal, v. 28, n. 4, p. 498-503, 2017-08-00. (13/02536-5)