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Plaque retention on elastomeric ligatures. An in vivo study
R Condò1, A Casaglia, S G Condò
1Department of Clinical Sciences and Translational Medicine, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", Italy.
ORAL & Implantology
|June 7, 2013
Summary
Elastic ligatures used in fixed orthodontic therapy show significantly lower plaque retention compared to stainless steel ligatures. This finding suggests improved oral hygiene potential with elastic orthodontic devices.
Area of Science:
- Orthodontics
- Microbiology
- Biomaterials
Background:
- Fixed orthodontic appliances complicate oral hygiene, leading to plaque accumulation.
- Bacterial plaque retention increases the risk of white spot lesions and periodontal disease.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare in vivo plaque retention on three types of elastic ligatures versus stainless steel ligatures.
- To investigate the association between ligature type and microbial accumulation during orthodontic treatment.
Main Methods:
- Analyzed plaque retention on ring-shape latex, grey polyurethane, and low-friction polyurethane (Slide) elastic ligatures against stainless steel ligatures.
- Samples were placed in the mouths of 40 orthodontic patients for 28 days.
- Quantified bacterial slime using spectrophotometry and evaluated morphology with Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM).
Main Results:
- All elastic ligatures demonstrated low plaque retention, significantly less than stainless steel ligatures.
- No significant difference in plaque retention was found between the Slide ligatures and traditional elastic ligatures.
- SEM revealed cocci, rods, and filamentous organisms within an interbacterial matrix on all samples.
Conclusions:
- Elastomeric ligatures exhibit significantly lower susceptibility to plaque adhesion compared to metallic stainless steel ligatures.
- There were no statistically significant differences in plaque retention among the tested elastic ligature types.
