Effect of Streptococcus mitis and Streptococcus mutans on the adhesion of Streptococcus salivarius to lithium disilicate glass-ceramics of varying roughnesses

Aim: The aim of this in vitro study was to determine how different polishing kits affect the surface roughness of lithium disilicate glass-ceramic and to examine the effect of Streptococcus mitis and Streptococcus mutans on the adhesion of Streptococcus salivarius to the glass-ceramic. Methodology: A total of 96 lithium disilicate glass-ceramic specimens were prepared and divided into four groups: control, rough, D+Z polished, and OptraFine polished. A total of 16 subgroups were obtained based on four combinations of three bacteria. After adding artificial saliva to the surface, all specimens were incubated in suspensions prepared for bacterial combinations. Bacterial adhesion values in the colonies formed were obtained according to the colony-forming unit (CFU) system. Results: The highest Sa values were found for the rough group, followed by the OptraFine polished, D+Z polished, and control groups, but, except for the control group, the values were statistically similar (p > 0.05). The difference between S. salivarius and the triple bacteria combination was statistically significant for the S. salivarius CFU values in the control group. The difference between S. salivarius, S. salivarius + S. mutans, and the triple bacteria combination groups was significant for the rough group (p < 0.05). S. salivarius alone accumulated the most on all specimen surfaces. In the control group, a high level (r=0.6-0.8) of positive correlation was found between the S + Mit group and the S + Mit + Mut group. In the rough group, a high (r>0.8) positive correlation was found between the S + Mut and S + Mit + Mut groups in terms of S. salivarius adhesion. Conclusion: For lithium disilicate glass-ceramic material, polishing systems are not sufficiently efficient after the glaze layer has been removed. How to cite this article: Kavaz T, Özdemir H. Effect of Streptococcus mitis and Streptococcus mutans on the adhesion of Streptococcus salivarius to lithium disilicate glass-ceramics of varying roughnesses. Int Dent Res 2023;13(1):27-34. https://doi.org/10.5577/idr.2023.vol13.no1.5 Linguistic Revision: The English in this manuscript has been checked by at least two professional editors, both native speakers of English.