Influence of the Surface Energy of Different Brands of Polymethyl Methacrylate on the Adherence of Candida albicans: An In Vitro Study

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of the surface energy of different brands of polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) on the adherence of Candida albicans ATCC 10231 in an in vitro study. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study had an in vitro, longitudinal, and comparative experimental design. The following groups were made: (1) Vitacryl versus controls (water, dimethyl sulfoxide, glycerol, diethylene glycol, and formamide); (2) Triplex versus the same controls; (3) Vitacryl versus Triplex (surface energy); and (4) Vitacryl versus Triplex (adhesion per cell/field). Adhesion was measured in the area of each field magnified 10 × 10, and with an increase in magnification to 40 × 10, very dense colonies of 0.152 mm(2) were observed. RESULTS: The surface energy of Vitacryl and Triplex was 40.3 ± 0.3 and 39.5 ± 0.3N/m, respectively, showing statistically significant differences (P < 0.001). On the contrary, in relation to the adhesion per cell/field of C. albicans, Vitacryl presented 15.7 ± 1.1, whereas Triplex had 16.7 ± 2.3, with no significant differences (P = 0.058). CONCLUSION: In relation to the adhesion per cell/field of C. albicans, there was no evidence of significant differences between Vitacryl and Triplex.