ADHESION OF PERIODONTAL BACTERIA TO TITANIUM, AND TITANIUM-ALLOY POWDERS

In this study, the adhesion of radioactively labeled Actinomyces visco sus (A. viscosus), Actinobacillus actinomicetemcomitans (Aa) and Porph yromonas gingivalis (P. gingivalis) to titanium (Ti) and Ti-6-Al-4V al loy (Ti-alloy) coated with albumin or human saliva was investigated. A ll the tested bacteria displayed greater attachment to Ti-alloy than t o Ti. P. gingivalis exhibited less adhesion to Ti and Ti-alloy than di d the other bacterial strains. Adhesion of A. viscosus and Aa was grea tly reduced when Ti or Ti-alloy were coated with albumin or saliva. P. gingivalis demonstrated a lesser reduction in adhesion to albumin or saliva-coated surfaces. The results show that oral bacteria have diffe rent adhesion affinities for Ti and Ti-alloy and that both albumin and human saliva reduce bacterial adhesion.