Scanning electron microscopy of early microbial colonization of human enamel and root surfaces in vivo.

This study describes the pattern of microbial colonization in six dental students, who carried test pieces of enamel and root surface in intraoral acrylic appliances for 4, 8, 12, 24, and 48 h, respectively. Oral hygiene was discontinued during the experimental periods. The results showed that oral microorganisms colonized enamel and root surfaces individually. The pattern of colonization mimicked the surface structure of the tooth; on enamel surfaces the first bacteria appeared in pits and surface irregularities followed by proliferation along the perikymata, while on root surfaces bacterial colonization was characterized by a haphazard distribution. Within the initial 24-h period root surfaces were more heavily colonized than were enamel surfaces. This pattern was characteristic irrespective of differences in the intra- and interindividual rates of bacterial coverage. It is concluded that early microbial colonization in vivo is determined by the surface structure of the tooth. Consequently, natural tooth surfaces should not be replaced by artificial surfaces in structural studies of microbial deposits in the oral cavity.