Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Different Cleaning Methods for Removable Space Maintainers

Aim: The present study aimed to evaluate the antimicrobial effectiveness of different cleaning methods in reducing microbial colonization on space maintainer appliances. Materials and Methods: Acrylic blocks (5×5×3 cm) were fabricated for the study. The surfaces of these blocks were sterilized using 70% ethanol and subsequently air-dried. A standardized microorganism suspensions (Streptococcus mutans ATCC 10449 and Candida albicans ATCC 60193) were prepared at a density of OD600 = 0.01, and 400 µL of the suspension was applied to the surfaces of the acrylic blocks. The blocks were then covered with sterile plastic films (4×4 cm) and incubated at 37°C for 24 hours. After incubation, microbial load was quantified, and five different cleaning protocols were applied to the block surfaces. The groups were as follows; Group1: Control (No treatment), Group2: Toothbrush+liquid soap, Group3: Toothbrush+toothpaste, Group4: Toothbrush+liquid soap+cleanser tablet, Group5: Toothbrush+toothpaste+cleanser tablet, Group6: Cleanser tablet only. All blocks were rinsed in sterile phosphate buffered saline, and the residual microbial load was determined by inoculation on to Brain Heart Infusion Agar (for S. mutans) and Sabouraud Dextrose Agar (for C. albicans). Data analysis was performed using SPSS 25.0 software program by the chi-square and t-tests. Results: All cleaning methods significantly reduced the colonization of both S. mutans and C. albicans (p=0.01). Among the tested methods, Group 5 demonstrated the highest antimicrobial efficacy, followed by Groups 4>6>3>2, respectively. Conclusion: This study highlights the effectiveness of various cleaning methods in reducing microbial colonization on removable space maintainers. The combination of mechanical cleaning with a toothbrush and the use of cleanser tablets showed superior efficacy.