ROLE OF BIOFILM MODELS IN DENTAL RESEARCH: A REVIEW

Oral cavity is an extraordinary environment for several microbial species to attach on tooth surfaces and form dense bacterial biofilms
which are prevalent on most wet surfaces representing a common cause of persistent infections. Plaque biofilms are implicated
strongly in the causation of dental caries and periodontal diseases. The term biofilm is increasingly replacing ‘Dental plaque’ in the
dental literature, but concepts and existing paradigms are changing much more slowly. The stages of structural organization of
biofilm, the composition and activities of the colonizing microorganisms in various environments may be different although the
establishment of the micro-community on a surface seems to follow essentially the same series of developmental stages, including
deposition of a conditioning film, adhesion and colonization of planktonic microorganisms in a polymeric matrix, co-adhesion of other
organisms and detachment of biofilm microorganisms in to the surroundings. The success of any treatment which is targeted against
dental caries or periodontal disease is dependant on inactivation of microorganisms present in biofilm and planktonic ambiance rather
on individual microorganism per se. The complexity of oral environment, financial constraints, ethical problems, poor patient
compliance associated with studies of plaque associated oral diseases in humans inevitably direct the attention to development of
biofilm models that simulate plaque microorganism. These biofilm models can evaluate microbial interactions in simulated dental
plaque and similar biofilms monitoring their physical, chemical, biological and molecular features to a very high degree of accuracy.
A range of technologies and microbial systems has been utilized, all with different uses, strengths, and limitations. Hence we review
biofilm models used in dentistry which play an important role in developing preventive and therapeutic strategies to combat plaque
associated diseases of oral cavity.