Bacterial Adhesion and Surface Roughness for Different Clinical Techniques for Acrylic Polymethyl Methacrylate

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Biomaterials Engineering
• Microbiology

Background:

• Polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) is widely used in dental prosthetics.
• Surface properties of PMMA can influence bacterial adhesion and biofilm formation.
• Controlling surface roughness is crucial for preventing microbial contamination in biomaterials.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of various surface finishing and polishing techniques on PMMA.
• To assess the correlation between PMMA surface roughness and Streptococcus sanguinis adhesion.
• To identify optimal protocols for reducing bacterial colonization on PMMA.

Main Methods:

• Fifty PMMA specimens were prepared and divided into five groups based on fabrication and finishing/polishing protocols.
• Surface roughness and topography were analyzed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM).
• Bacterial adhesion tests with S. sanguinis were performed, and bacterial counts were quantified.

Main Results:

• A significant inverse relationship was observed between surface roughness and bacterial adhesion.
• The laboratory polishing (LP) group exhibited the lowest surface roughness (0.07 ± 0.02 μm) and bacterial counts (1.56 ± 0.62 CFU).
• Manual polishing (MP) and Nealon technique with manual polishing (NP) also showed reduced roughness and bacterial adhesion compared to finishing-only groups.

Conclusions:

• Reducing surface roughness of PMMA is directly correlated with decreased S. sanguinis adhesion.
• Laboratory processing protocols for PMMA can effectively minimize surface roughness and subsequent bacterial adhesion.
• Optimized polishing techniques are essential for enhancing the clinical performance and hygiene of PMMA-based dental materials.