Abstract
Background
The wearing of orthodontic bands during treatment may increase the risk of caries, or white spot lesions (WSLs), due to prolonged biofilm accumulation around the bands. Using computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) it is now possible to design accurate, custom-made bands, which may reduce biofilm-related adverse effects.
The objective of this study was to compare the accumulation of biofilm and associated acid production and enamel demineralisation on conventional orthodontic bands and CAD/CAM (Sintron) bands.
Method
The study involved both in vivo and in vitro components. During the in vivo phase, twenty-one participants were requested to wear a custom appliance for 48 hours. Each appliance contained bovine enamel discs in six different positions (three per side). Each disc position was randomly allocated a tile from one of the following specimen groups (one of each on each side): Band tile, Sintron tile, and control (with no tile). The participants submerged the appliances in a 10% (w/v) sucrose solution for five minutes, five times per day. The discs were then incubated in a glucose/PBS solution for 24 hours.
The biofilm accumulated in vivo was quantified and compared by digital photography. Biofilm acid production was estimated by measuring changes in pH of the glucose/PBS following the incubation period. The resulting enamel demineralisation was measured and compared by determining the calcium released into the glucose/PBS during the incubation period.
Results
There were no significant differences in the area (%) of biofilm coverage on exposed enamel between the specimen types or different position on the appliances. The pH of the control group was significantly higher than both Band and Sintron groups, but it did not differ between the Band and Sintron groups. There were no significant differences in acid production between specimen positions on the appliance. Significantly more calcium was released from the control group than from the Sintron group, but the calcium release did not differ between Band and Sintron groups, or in calcium released from biofilms developed at different positions on the appliances.
Conclusion
This study revealed there were no difference in the accumulation of biofilm, associated acid production or enamel demineralisation between conventional orthodontic bands and CAD/CAM bands.