Professional paper

Diagnostic Methods for Evaluation of Microbial Flora in Periodontitis

Marija Ivić-Kardum
Nataša Beader
Greta Štaudt-Škaljac

Abstract

Although over 300 bacterial species make up the oral flora, it is thought that only a few, either alone or in combination, initiate the progression of periodontitis. For over 20 years, culture techniques have been the primary method of identifying and studying putative pathogens. Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans, Porphyromonas gingivalis, Bacteroides forsythus and Treponema denticola are considered bacterial pathogens. Culture techniques enable versatility in characterizing the subgingival flora, allow for speciation and antibiotic susceptibility testing. Selective culturing involves the use of media restrictive to certain microorganisms, while nonselective media provides maximal growth and captures a predominant cultivable flora. In addition to technical problems, cultivating microorganisms can be both time consuming and costly. Molecular diagnostic techniques, DNA probes and polymerase chain reaction are especially useful in detecting those bacteria and viruses that cannot be cultivated in vitro or are not sensitive to current cultivating techniques. Sensitivity and specificity is optimal according to the great number of bacteria present in plaque samples.

Keywords

periodontitis; microbial flora; microbiological tests

Hrčak ID:

11661

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/11661

Publication date:

15.3.2001.

Article data in other languages: croatian

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