Subgingival plaque formation on single and polycrystal aluminum ceramics

A study was conducted to investigate subgingival plaque formation on two types of dental implant material in the human oral cavity. Fifteen teeth affected by severe periodontitis and scheduled for extraction in five patients were selected. After thorough root planing, inlay cavities were prepared from the gingival margin to 5 mm subgingivally. Then, rectangular test specimens (polycrystal aluminum ceramic (P), single-crystal aluminum ceramic (S)) or a control dentin specimen (D) were installed in gold inlays, which were placed in the inlay cavities and left for 3, 7 or 21 d. As a consequence, 4 mm of the surface of each specimen was exposed to the environment of the periodontal pocket. After each test period, the specimens were removed from the inlays and examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results suggested that S is a more suitable dental implant material than P from the viewpoint of clinical application because of its lower degree of plaque accumulation.