A MODERN VIEW OF DENTAL BIOFILM DETECTION

Abstract

Dental biofilm, which forms a complex ecosystem on the surfaces of teeth, gums and oral mucosa, is a key microbial factor in the development of dental caries and inflammatory periodontal diseases. Its timely detection plays an important role in the prevention and treatment of major dental pathologies. To date, a number of innovative approaches have been developed that allow not only qualitative identification of the biofilm, but also assessment of its thickness, density, structural organisation and degree of maturity.The aim. To analyse the current scientific information on the available methods for detecting dental biofilm, taking into account their effectiveness, application possibilities and prospects for further development.Materials and methods. The study conducted a systematic analysis of scientific publications over the past 10 years using Google Scholar, PubMed and specialised dental journals. The sources were selected using keywords: «dental biofilm», «methods of biofilm detection», «diagnostics of biofilm in dentistry», «biofilm visualisation», «microscopic methods», «molecular methods», «biochemical tests». Attention was paid to papers describing both traditional and high-tech diagnostic tools.Results. The main methods of dental biofilm diagnostics are reviewed: hygiene indices (PI, API, OHI-S, TQHPI, NPI), visualisation with discosants, digital technologies (including 3D scanning and deep learning algorithms), microscopic methods, in particular, confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM), and fluorescence methods, such as D-BioTECH. The advantages and limitations of each approach are evaluated. It was found that the combination of several methods significantly improves the accuracy and objectivity of dental biofilm diagnosis. Conclusions. The integrated use of traditional and modern methods of detecting dental biofilm contributes to a more accurate and early diagnosis, allows timely assessment of the patient's oral hygiene, and increases the effectiveness of prevention, treatment and hygiene measures in daily dental practice.