Fixed Orthodontic Appliances, Clinical Aspects of Gingival Tissue andEnzymatic Activity of Candida spp.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to evaluate orthodontic appliances, the clinical appearance of gingival tissue and virulence of yeasts isolated in 80 patients. Of these, 40 belonged to the control group and 40 used orthodontic appliances. Material and methods: Yeasts were identified by both classic and automated methods (VITEK 2). Enzymatic activity (proteinases and phospholipases) were determined. Results: Among the 80 patients, Candida spp. was isolated in 27 (64.3%) among those who used orthodontic appliances and 15 (35.7%) among non-users. A statistically significant correlation was determined between the two groups (isolation of yeast in relation to the use of an appliance) (p<0.05 and OR=3.4). Candida albicans was the most frequent isolate (31 isolates), 17 (42.5%) in cases from the orthodontic appliances group and 14 (35.0%) in the control group. A statistically significant association was determined between the clinical appearance of the patients’ gingival tissue and the presence of orthodontic appliances (p<0.05). Control group patients were more likely to present clinically healthy gingiva (OR=0.2). Proteinases were present in 100% of the strains from both groups, while for phospholipases, positivity was 22.5% for patients using an appliance and 15.0% for the control group. Conclusion: The use of orthodontic appliances may predispose patients to alterations in the oral microbiota, resulting in greater probability of clinically unhealthy gingiva.