An in vivo Method for the Study of the Microbiology of Occlusal Fissures

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Abstract
A method has been developed for the implantation of artificial fissures into human teethThe fissures, produced from Mylar film, were inserted into gold receptacles and placed in large amalgam restorations of 10 dental students. The production of.the fissures and the receptacles is described in detail. The fissures, which provided observation periods from 1 to 21 days, were used for cultural studies, paraffin sectioning, cryostat sectioning or electron microscopy. The preliminary analysis of the contents showed that colonies of intact microorganisms were present throughout the fissures although many dead bacteria were also seen. The majority of the microorganisms were gram-positive cocci. It is suggested that the artificial fissures constitute an experimental model system which permits studies of plaque formation under conditions similar to those of natural occlusal fissures.

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