Adhesion of periodontal pathogens to self-ligating orthodontic brackets: An in-vivo prospective study

• We compared periodontal pathogens on various anterior self-ligating brackets.
• Mandibular brackets held more periodontal pathogens than maxillary brackets.
• More pathogens adhered to Damon Q than to Clarity-SL.
• Clippy-C showed an intermediate adhesion pattern.
• Oral hygiene indexes were not strongly associated with bacterial adhesion to brackets.

IntroductionOur aims were to analyze adhesion of periodontopathogens to self-ligating brackets (Clarity-SL [CSL], Clippy-C [CC] and Damon Q [DQ]) and to identify the relationships between bacterial adhesion and oral hygiene indexes.MethodsCentral incisor brackets from the maxilla and mandible were collected from 60 patients at debonding after the plaque and gingival indexes were measured. Adhesions of Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans (Aa), Porphyromonas gingivalis (Pg), Prevotella intermedia (Pi), Fusobacterium nucleatum (Fn), and Tannerella forsythia (Tf) were quantitatively determined using real-time polymerase chain reactions. Factorial analysis of variance was used to analyze bacterial adhesion in relation to bracket type and jaw position. Correlation coefficients were calculated to determine the relationships between bacterial adhesion and the oral hygiene indexes.ResultsTotal bacteria showed greater adhesion to CSL than to DQ brackets, whereas Aa, Pg, and Pi adhered more to DQ than to CSL brackets. CC brackets showed an intermediate adhesion pattern between CSL and DQ brackets, but it did not differ significantly from either bracket type. Adhesion of Fn and Tf did not differ significantly among the 3 brackets. Most bacteria were detected in greater quantities in the mandibular than in the maxillary brackets. The plaque and gingival indexes were not strongly correlated with bacterial adhesion to the brackets.ConclusionsBecause Aa, Pg, and Pi adhered more to the DQ brackets in the mandibular area, orthodontic patients with periodontal problems should be carefully monitored in the mandibular incisors where the distance between the bracket and the gingiva is small, especially when DQ brackets are used.