Abstract
Purpose: Currently, magnetic attachments are used widely in clinical dentistry, because they have strong power of absorption to support dentures, despite their small size. However, it is not clear whether magnetism leakage from the magnetic attachments has an effect on the oral environment. Therefore, as a first step to evaluate this problem, we examined the effect of magnetism leakage on several oral microorganisms, by an adhesion assay.
Methods: Two kinds of magnetic assemblies were used in this study: one with magnetic fields and another without magnetic fields, as a control. Microorganisms were grown to the late log phase, and cultures were treated to adjust to appropriate cell densities. The magnetic assemblies were immersed in the cell suspension, for microbial adhesion; then they were incubated for a short time, followed by washing, to remove unattached cells. It was then briefly sonicated in a solution, and then a portion of the solution was spread on agar plates, to count the number of attached cells. Then, we compared the results between those with a magnetic field and the control.
Results: There was no significant difference in the viable adhering cells to the magnetic assembly between the magnetic fields and the control, though there was a small difference between different species.
Conclusions: We concluded that there is no significant effect on oral microbial adhesion in magnetism leakage from magnetic attachments, and we suggest that magnetism leakage from magnetic attachments has no detectable influence on oral microorganisms.
