[Clinical relevance of surface characteristics on the formation of plaque on teeth and implants]

The mouth is, from an ecologic point of view, an 'open growth system' with a continuous transport of micro-organisms. To cause infection (caries or periodontitis) or even to survive in the oral cavity, micro-organisms need to attach to one of the available surfaces, otherwise they will be removed by a continuous flow of saliva. The mouth, with his ideal growth conditions for micro-organisms, has many places, called niches, that can be colonised with micro-organisms. It is not surprising that the mouth is being colonised with more then 400 different species. This article discusses successively colonisation of the oral cavity, bacterial adhesion, plaque growth from a clinical point of view, the influence of surface properties on the initial plaque adhesion and maturation, and finally important factors influencing the plaque formation on oral implants.