%0 Journal Article
%T Longitudinal Analysis of Bacterial Colonization on Clear Orthodontic Retainers Using 16S rRNA Sequencing
%A Cecilia Ilaria Belfiore
%A Mattia Manfredini
%A Gianna Dipalma
%J Asian Journal of Periodontics and Orthodontics
%@ 3062-3499
%D 2023
%V 3
%N 1
%R 10.51847/01LDpzGEFa
%P 35-43
%X This study aimed to investigate the temporal changes in bacterial communities on clear orthodontic retainers over a 14-day period. Saliva and plaque samples were collected from the surfaces of clear retainers worn by five healthy volunteers who had not previously used any other orthodontic appliances. Participants were instructed to wear the retainers continuously for 14 days, removing them only for meals and cleaning with a soft-bristle toothbrush. Microbial composition was analyzed using Illumina MiSeq sequencing of the bacterial 16S rRNA gene. Bioinformatic analyses were conducted via the QIIME pipeline to assess both intra- and intergroup microbial diversity. Bacterial communities on the retainers and in saliva exhibited notable changes over the 14-day period. At the phylum level, Firmicutes increased significantly on the retainers by 1.26-fold (p = 0.0194) at 7 days and 1.34-fold (p = 0.0123) at 14 days compared to saliva. Conversely, Campylobacteriota decreased 1.80-fold (p = 0.05) on retainers at 7 days relative to saliva. At the genus level, several bacterial taxa showed a significant increase in relative abundance on the retainers after 14 days. The presence of a clear orthodontic retainer may promote changes in oral microbial communities that could contribute to enamel alterations or periodontal tissue damage, particularly following two weeks of use.
%U https://tsdp.net/article/longitudinal-analysis-of-bacterial-colonization-on-clear-orthodontic-retainers-using-16s-rrna-sequen-vmdhcetcumkjofq