Description:
<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title><jats:sec><jats:title>Objective</jats:title><jats:p>The aim of the present study was to analyze biofilm formation on four different titanium‐based surfaces (machined titanium zirconium (TiZr) alloy, M; machined, acid‐etched TiZr alloy, mod<jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">MA</jats:styled-content>; machined, sandblasted, acid‐etched TiZr alloy, mod<jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">SLA</jats:styled-content>; and micro‐grooved titanium aluminum vanadium alloy, <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">TAV MG</jats:styled-content>) in an experimental human model.</jats:p></jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Material and methods</jats:title><jats:p>Custom‐made discs were mounted in individual intraoral splint housings and worn by 16 volunteers for 24 h. The safranin staining assay, isothermal microcalorimetry (<jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">IMC</jats:styled-content>), and <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">SEM</jats:styled-content> were applied before and after surface cleaning.</jats:p></jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Results</jats:title><jats:p>The hydrophilic surfaces mod<jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">MA</jats:styled-content> and mod<jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">SLA</jats:styled-content> with greater surface micro‐roughness exhibited significantly more biofilm than the hydrophobic surfaces <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">TAV MG</jats:styled-content> and M. The standardized cleaning procedure substantially reduced the biofilm mass on all surfaces. After cleaning, the <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">IMC</jats:styled-content> analyses demonstrated a longer lag time of the growth curve on <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">TAV MG</jats:styled-content> compared to mod<jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">SLA</jats:styled-content>. Inter‐ and intraindividual variations in biofilm formation on the titanium discs were evident throughout the study.</jats:p></jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Conclusions</jats:title><jats:p>Surface hydrophilicity and roughness enhanced biofilm formation <jats:italic>in vivo</jats:italic>, whereas surface topography was the most influential factor that determined surface cleanability. While the grooved surface retained larger amounts of initial biofilm, the machined surface was easier to clean, but proliferation indicated by increased metabolic activity (growth rate) in <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">IMC</jats:styled-content> occurred despite mechanical biofilm removal.</jats:p></jats:sec>