Abstract Objective this study evaluated the mineral and microbiological response of biofilms originating from different types of saliva inoculum with distinct levels of caries activity. Methodology the biofilms grown over enamel specimens originated from saliva collected from a single donor or five donors with two distinct levels of caries activity (caries-active and caries-free) or from pooling saliva from ten donors (five caries-active and five caries-free). The percentage surface hardness change (%SHC) and microbiological counts served as outcome variables. Results the caries activity of donors did not affect the %SHC values. Inoculum from five donors compared to a single donor showed higher %SHC values (p=0.019). Higher lactobacilli counts were observed when saliva from caries-active donors was used as the inoculum (p=0.017). Pooled saliva from both caries activity levels showed higher mutans streptococci counts (p<0.017). Conclusion Overall, pooled saliva increased the mineral response of the derived biofilms, but all the inoculum conditions formed cariogenic biofilms and caries lesions independently of caries activity.

Resumo Introdução Modelos laboratoriais de biofilmes vêm sendo desenvolvidos com a finalidade de simular o ambiente bucal e o processo de formação da cárie dental. Objetivo Estabelecer e padronizar um modelo de biofilme in vitro para o desenvolvimento de lesões de cárie em dentina. Material e método Doze discos padronizados de dentina bovina foram divididos em três tempos experimentais: 4, 7 e 10 dias. As amostras de cada tempo experimental foram inoculadas com Streptococcus mutans UA 159 em meio de cultura BHI com 1% de sacarose e cultivadas em anaerobiose. As variáveis de resposta foram a perda de dureza integrada (ΔS) dos discos de dentina e dureza do substrato em diferentes profundidades. Os dados de ΔS foram analisados através de ANOVA seguido do teste Tukey, ambos com significância de 5%, e os dados de dureza de profundidade de lesão analisados descritivamente. Resultado Houve maior perda mineral aos 10 dias de crescimento microbiológico quando comparados aos 4 dias (p = 0,034), no entanto não houve diferença entre 7 e 10 dias (p = 0,853). O grupo de 4 dias mostrou perda de dureza em regiões mais superficiais (10-40µm); e o grupo de 10 dias mostrou desmineralização em áreas mais profundas, até 150 µm. Conclusão O modelo proposto mostrou-se capaz de desenvolver lesões de cárie artificiais em dentina. Em 7 dias, as lesões subsuperficiais de dentina foram adequadas para estudos de des-remineralização.

Abstract Introduction Oral laboratory biofilm models have been developed to reproduce the oral environment and the process of caries lesion formation in vitro. Objective To establish and standardize an in vitro biofilm model for the development of caries lesions in dentin. Material and method Twelve standardized bovine dentin discs were assigned into three experimental times: 4, 7, and 10 days. Samples of each experimental period were inoculated with Streptococcus mutans UA 159 in a BHI culture medium with 1% sucrose, and cultured under anaerobic conditions. The integrated hardness loss (ΔS) of dentin discs and the hardness of the substrate at different depths were considered as response variables. The ΔS data were analysed by ANOVA followed by Tukey's test, both with significance level of 5%, and the data of hardness at different depths were analysed descriptively. Result There was a higher hardness loss after 10 days of microbial growth when compared to 4 days (p = 0.034), however, there was no difference between 7 and 10 days (p = 0.853). The 4-day group showed loss of hardness of the surface layers (10-40μm) and the 10-day group showed demineralization in the deeper area around 150µm. Conclusion The proposed model was able to develop artificial caries lesions in dentin. In 7 days, the dentin sub superficial lesions were suitable to des-remineralisation studies.