[In-vitro plaque accumulation on different filling materials]

The influence of the surface roughness of dental filling materials as well as of specific properties of materials on plaque accumulation was to be tested in a comparative study for various materials (Degulor S, Amalcap SAS, Visio Dispers, Ketak-Fil, CuproDur, Harvard Cement) was to be tested in a comparative investigation. For this purpose, the different materials were placed in a Streptococcus mutans NCTC 10449 culture medium containing sucrose, and incubated for three days at 37 degree C. Following this, the specific accumulation of polysaccharides formed outside of cells (plaque) was subjected to gravimetric analysis. Filling materials that take a high polish (Degulor S, Amalcap SAS, Visio Dispers) accumulated only 25 to 50% as much plaque as did cements. Within the group of cements there were also differences (up to 40%) in spite of similar surface roughness. These differences are presumably due to properties specific to the materials. In preliminary examinations of the products named, antibacterial effects were registered in three cases (Degulor S, Harvard Cement and Cupro-Dur--inhibiting areola between 1 and 7.5 mm).