Comparison of bacterial adhesion and biofilm formation on zirconia fabricated by two different approaches: an in vitro and in vivo study

Abstract

ABSTRACT Prepared by dry and wet approaches, respectively, the surface properties and bacterial adhesion of conventional zirconia (CZ) and self-glazed zirconia (SGZ) were investigated. Each zirconia was divided into unpolished and polished groups. Our results revealed that SGZ showed significantly lower surface roughness than CZ (P < 0.05) and lower surface-free energy (P < 0.05) in both polished and unpolished groups. The number of bacteria attached to SGZ was less than CZ in vitro (P < 0.05), but no significant difference was found between two kinds of zirconia in vivo (P > 0.05). Our findings suggest that SGZ, due to its excellent surface characteristics, is superior to CZ in bacterial adhesion and zirconia polishing serves as an indispensable procedure in clinics.