Jornal de Citologia e Histologia

Evaluation of Microbial Colonization on Orthodontic Attachments: A Prospective Study

Abstract

Shruthi DP, Nagaraj B Malipatil and Prithviraj DR

Orthodontic attachments interfere with oral hygiene maintenance leading to plaque accumulation and ultimately enamel demineralization caused by oral microflora. Orthodontists must have a clear understanding of the nature and the type of microflora present to combat with the above stated problem. This study was done to isolate and identify the microflora from orthodontic attachments and to study the quality of oral microflora during fixed mechanotherapy at regular intervals. In this prospective clinical study, ten patients were selected for arch wire ligation with commonly used elastic modules. One elastic module was removed from each patient at regular intervals of 24 hrs, 7, 14 and 21 days for isolation and qualitative assessment of the microbial growth. Aerobic inoculation was done using nichrome inoculating wire. Further subspeciation was done using certain biochemical reactions like fermentation of sugar. For anaerobic growths Mac-Intosh jar was used. The study revealed that there was minimal or no growth of aerobes and anerobes after 24 hours. However, with increased duration of time there was progressive colonization of microbes (both commensals and pathogenic) on the orthodontic attachments. On examination of orthodontic attachments over a scheduled period of time anaerobic microorganisms were isolated which indicates that patients undergoing fixed mechanotherapy should exercise maximum oral hygiene with oral hygiene adjunctive aids other than routine brushing and should also undergo periodic oral prophylaxis so as to avoid any iatrogenic damage and alteration of the oral environment.