IADR Abstract Archives
Impact of Early Biofilm on the Assessment of Enamel Erosion With Optical Coherence Tomography.
Objectives: To examine the impact of early biofilm formation on the optical coherence tomographic (OCT) assessment of initial enamel erosion.
Methods: Forty-five enamel windows of 2 x 4mm2 were prepared on extracted human teeth. The specimens were exposed to citric acid (pH 3.2) for 30 minutes and randomly divided into three groups (n=15): Group 1 - no biofilm, Group 2 – 1 day old biofilm, and Group 3 – 3 days old biofilm. The biofilms were formed with three species of oral bacteria (Strep sanguinis, Strep mitis and Actinomyces sp). Specimens in Groups 2 and 3 were inoculated to produce early laboratory-cultivated biofilms for 1 and 3 days, respectively. Surface microhardness (SMH) measurements were taken at pre- (t1) and post-erosion (t2); and Swept-source OCT (SS-OCT) scans were done at t1, t2 and post-biofilm cultivation (t3). Integrated reflectivity (IR) of the tooth-air interface (IRsurface) and enamel (IRenamel) were computed from the mean A-scans. Statistical analysis was performed using and paired T-tests and one-way ANOVA (α=0.05).
Results: A significant decrease in SMH and increase in IRenamel was observed at t2 (p<0.05). At t3, IRsurface between Group 1 (control) and Group 2 (p = 0.012) as well as Group 3 (p = 0.001) were significantly different. As significant variances in IRenamel were perceived between t2 and t3 for Groups 2 and 3 but not Group 1, it was determined that biofilm impacted the OCT assessment of initial enamel erosion.
Conclusions: Biofilm on the tooth surface should thus be removed prior to clinical OCT assessment.
Methods: Forty-five enamel windows of 2 x 4mm2 were prepared on extracted human teeth. The specimens were exposed to citric acid (pH 3.2) for 30 minutes and randomly divided into three groups (n=15): Group 1 - no biofilm, Group 2 – 1 day old biofilm, and Group 3 – 3 days old biofilm. The biofilms were formed with three species of oral bacteria (Strep sanguinis, Strep mitis and Actinomyces sp). Specimens in Groups 2 and 3 were inoculated to produce early laboratory-cultivated biofilms for 1 and 3 days, respectively. Surface microhardness (SMH) measurements were taken at pre- (t1) and post-erosion (t2); and Swept-source OCT (SS-OCT) scans were done at t1, t2 and post-biofilm cultivation (t3). Integrated reflectivity (IR) of the tooth-air interface (IRsurface) and enamel (IRenamel) were computed from the mean A-scans. Statistical analysis was performed using and paired T-tests and one-way ANOVA (α=0.05).
Results: A significant decrease in SMH and increase in IRenamel was observed at t2 (p<0.05). At t3, IRsurface between Group 1 (control) and Group 2 (p = 0.012) as well as Group 3 (p = 0.001) were significantly different. As significant variances in IRenamel were perceived between t2 and t3 for Groups 2 and 3 but not Group 1, it was determined that biofilm impacted the OCT assessment of initial enamel erosion.
Conclusions: Biofilm on the tooth surface should thus be removed prior to clinical OCT assessment.