A PILOT-STUDY OF CONFOCAL LASER-SCANNING MICROSCOPY FOR THE ASSESSMENT OF UNDISTURBED DENTAL PLAQUE VITALITY AND TOPOGRAPHY

Confocal microscopy and vital fluorescence techniques were combined fo r the first time to investigate cs vivo human dental plaque. The vital fluorescence technique used discriminates vital from dead cells, whil e confocal laser scanning microscopy allows the optical sectioning of undisturbed biofilms leaving the samples intact during analysis. The c oncomitant use of both methods made an examination of the three-dimens ional architecture of dental plaque possible. The topography of plaque biofilms that were allowed to accumulate in situ on glass and enamel was recorded. The distribution of plaque microflora vitality as well a s its accumulation varied according to plaque age. A plaque thickness of up to 8, 35 and 45 mu m was estimated ex vivo on enamel after 1, 2 and 3 days, respectively. Young and sparse plaque biofilms consisted m ainly of dead material. Vital bacteria were observed on top of this de ad layers. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.