Abstract:

Objective To compare the influence of polishing and glazing on ceramic surface roughness and bacterial adhesion to the resulted surfaces. Methods The surface of the ceramic plates were tested and analyzed by atomic force microscope. The influence of resulted surface on Streptococcus mutans adhesion were also evaluated. Results The ceramic surface became much smoother after polishing with diamond paste or self-glazing. A positive correlation between surface roughness and bacterial adhesion were observed. Compared with surfaces polished with rubber-wheel, surfaces polished with diamond paste or self-glazing reduced bacterial adhesion to the surface（P<0.05）. Conclusion Polishing with diamond paste could be an alternative to self-glazing on ceramic surface roughness and bacterial adhesion.

Key words: dental porcelain, dental polishing, Streptococcus mutans, bacterial adhesion