Comparison of Streptococcus mutans adhesion to polished and glazed surfaces of three CAD/CAM ceramics - an in vitro study

Sep 30, 2026

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Objectives Bacterial adhesion to dental restorations drives biofilm formation, which can contribute to periodontal disease and implant failure. This in vitro study assessed how glazing and polishing affect Streptococcus mutans adhesion to three CAD/CAM ceramics: lithium disilicate, zirconia-reinforced lithium silicate, and monolithic zirconia. Materials and methods 81 specimens were prepared and bacterial adhesion quantified with a crystal violet biofilm assay after 48 h, supported by SEM. Statistical analyses used Kolmogorov-Smirnov, one-way/two-way ANOVA, and Tukey.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages9

Reading Time23 min

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Abstract

Objectives

Materials and methods

Results

Conclusion

Clinical implications

Introduction

Nourbakhsh et al. BMCOral Health (2026) 26:41 BMC Oral Health [https://doi.org/10.1186/s12903-025-07417-w](https://doi.org/10.1186/s12903-025-07417-w) RESEARCH Open Access Comparison of Streptococcus mutans adhesion to polished and glazed surfaces of three CAD/ CAM ceramics: an in vitro study Mehran Nourbakhsh 1, Arash Zarbakhsh 1, Saman Kalantari 1* and Nasim Kashef2 Abstract Objectives Bacterial adhesion to dental restorations plays a critical role in the development of biofilms, contributing to periodontal disease and implant failure. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of glazing and polishing on the adhesion of Streptococcus mutans to three types of CAD/CAM ceramics: lithium disilicate, zirconia-reinforced lithium silicate, and monolithic zirconia. Materials and methods In this experimental in-vitro study, 81 ceramic specimens (n = 81) from three types—zirconia-reinforced lithium silicate (VITA Suprinity), lithium disilicate (IPS e. max CAD), and monolithic zirconia (InCoris ZI)—were prepared by polishing, glazing, and left untreated as controls. The bacterial adhesion of Streptococcus mutans was assessed using the crystal violet biofilm assay. Following a 48-hour incubation, optical density (OD) values were measured to quantify bacterial adhesion. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used for additional biofilm visualization. The data were analyzed using SPSS software with the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test, one-way and two-way ANOVA, and Tukey test with a significance level of 0.05. Results Polished InCoris ZI demonstrated the lowest bacterial adhesion (0 . 14) . Two-way ANOVA revealed a significant interaction between ceramic type and preparation method (p = 0 . 003), although neither factor alone showed a significant effect. InCoris ZI exhibited significantly higher bacterial adhesion with glazing compared to polishing (p = 0 . 005), while no significant differences were observed for Suprinity or IPS e. max across preparation methods. Bacterial adhesion to InCoris ZI among glazed samples was significantly higher than Suprinity (p = 0 . 01) and IPS e. max (p = 0 . 009) . Conclusion Preparation methods generally did not significantly influence bacterial adhesion, except for InCoris ZI, where polishing resulted in substantially lower adhesion compared to glazing. Clinical implications The study highlights that polishing, particularly for InCoris ZI ceramics, effectively minimizes bacterial adhesion, offering a practical alternative to glazing for in-mouth restoration adjustments. By eliminating the need for laboratory processing, polishing can streamline clinical workflows and reduce chairside time, while still maintaining favorable outcomes. These findings emphasize the importance of selecting appropriate surface treatments to enhance the longevity and hygiene of ceramic restorations. *Correspondence: Saman Kalantari [saman.kalantari.den@gmail.com](saman.kalantari.den@gmail.com) Full list of author information is available at the end of the article © The Author(s) 2025. Open Access This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License, which permits any non-commercial use, sharing, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons licence, and indicate if you modified the licensed material. You do not have permission under this licence to share adapted material derived from this article or parts of it. The images or other third party material in this article are included in the article’s Creative Commons licence, unless indicated otherwise in a credit line to the material. If material is not included in the article’s Creative Commons licence and your intended use is not permitted by statutory regulation or exceeds the permitted use, you will need to obtain permission directly from the copyright holder. To v

FAQs

What is the main objective of the study?

To evaluate how glazing and polishing influence Streptococcus mutans adhesion to three CAD/CAM ceramic types.

How was bacterial adhesion measured in this experiment?

Using the crystal violet biofilm assay after 48-hour incubation, with optical density readings to quantify adhesion, and SEM for visualization.

Which ceramic and surface treatment combination showed the lowest adhesion?

Polished monolithic zirconia (InCoris ZI) demonstrated the lowest bacterial adhesion values.

Sep 30, 2026

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