THE MICROFLORA ADJACENT TO OSSEOINTEGRATED IMPLANTS SUPPORTING MAXILLARY REMOVABLE PROSTHESES

The study examines the effect of maxillary prosthetic appliances on th e composition of the microflora in the peri-implant sulcus. Two groups of patients participated. One group consisted of 18 people with remov able prostheses, and a second group of 9 people with fixed prostheses was chosen to match them in age, sex and function period of their pros thetic appliances. One implant site per patient was chosen for microbi ological sampling, and the samples were taken on 2 separate occasions from all the subjects, with a 3-month interval. From those with remova ble prostheses, a further sample was collected by scraping a squared a rea from the mucosal side of the prosthesis. The prevalence of black-p igmented Porphyromonas/Prevotella, Actinobacllus actinomycetemcomitans , mutans streptococci, lactobacilli, enteric bacteria and yeasts was a nalysed using blood-agar and selective agar media. The results show th at the prevalence was significantly higher for Lactobacillus, Prevotel la spp. and yeasts in subjects with removable prostheses than in subje cts with fixed prostheses. No significant difference was registered in the pattern of microbial composition in subjects with the removable p rosthesis when the peri-implant sulcus plaque and the biofilm on the c orresponding mucosal side of their prosthesis were examined. The inser tion of a removable reconstruction to cover the area of the osseointeg rated implants gave rise to a progressive change in the peri-implant p laque towards a more aciduric microflora.