PLAQUE AND CARIES ACCUMULATION AROUND ORTHODONTIC ACCESSORIES: AN INTEGRATIVE LITERATURE REVIEW

Abstract

Bacterial plaque is a set of microorganisms found on the faces of teeth and is associated with an extracellular matrix. During treatment with a fixed orthodontic appliance, patients may be subject to changes in the composition of the microbiota, since the shape of the accessories that make up the orthodontic appliance makes hygiene difficult, favoring the accumulation of plaque. This study carried out a literature review with the aim of summarizing the accumulation of bacterial plaque and carious lesions that may exist around orthodontic accessories. To carry out the study, a literature review was carried out using online databases from 2002 to 2024: Public Medline (PubMed) and Scientific Electronic Library Online (SciELO), using the following combinations of Health Sciences Descriptors (DECS): Orthodontic, brackets, biofilm, treatment; plaque and a total of 208 studies were identified. All the studies underwent a preliminary analysis of the titles and objectives, followed by the abstracts to check their suitability, resulting in the selection of 15 studies, given their vast relevance, reliability and applicability to the proposed question. Through the research, it is possible to conclude that the use of fixed orthodontic appliances can favor the accumulation of bacterial plaque and carious lesions, due to their accessories which are inserted into tooth surfaces, making it difficult to clean and remove dental biofilm mechanically. It is therefore essential for the dental surgeon to give the patient oral hygiene advice, guiding them to use the right toothbrushes.