Phases of Plaque Biofilm Development

Question 1

Phase 1; also known as ____ and characteristics that make up this phase

Answer 1

Film Coating

• acquired pellicle attaches to the tooth surface
• covers all surfaces, restorations, and calculus
• mode of attachment for calculus

Question 2

Phase 2; also known as ____ and characteristics

Answer 2

Initial attachment of Bacteria to pellicle

• within few hours after pellicle formation, bacteria begin to attach to the surface of the pellicle
• attach as hair like attachment known as fimbriae

Question 3

Phase 3; also known as ___ and characteristics

Answer 3

New Bacteria Join In

-bacteria attached to the tooth produce substances that stimulate other free-floating bacteria to join the community

Question 4

Phase 4; also known as ____ and characteristics

Answer 4

Extracellular slime Layer and Microcolony formation

-production of extracellular slime layer when bacteria attaches to tooth surface excrete glue-like substance

Question 5

as soon as tooth surface is covered, bacteria ___ rather than attracting more bacteria

Answer 5

divide

Question 6

proliferating bacteria grow ___ from the tooth

Answer 6

away

Question 7

what is a period of rapid bacterial growth

Answer 7

bacterial bloom

Question 8

Phase 5; also known as ___ and characteristics

Answer 8

mature biofilm-mushroom shaped microcolonies

• bacteria cluster together and form mushroom shaped microcolonies that are attached to tooth by a narrow base
• different bacteria link together to each other-coaggregation

Question 9

each microcolony is a tiny _____ containing thousands of compatible bacteria

Answer 9

independent colony

Question 10

can different microcolonies contain different combinations of bacteria species?

Answer 10

yes

Question 11

the extracellular slime layer acts like a shield protecting the bacteria from ___ and ____ and the body’s immune system

Answer 11

antibiotics and antimicrobules

Question 12

what effects does fluid forces have on the biofilm?

Answer 12

influences the shape of the biofilm and results in the development of extensions from the main body of the biofilm

Question 13

fluid forces result in what kind of collisions of the bacteria within the biofilm?

Answer 13

cell-to-cell collisions

Question 14

what leads to a more rapid spread of genes among the bacteria?

Answer 14

collisions

Question 15

fluid channels bring ____ and _____ to the bacteria, and carry ______ away

Answer 15

nutrients and oxygen to the bacteria and carry bacterial waste products away

Question 16

what signals are used to for bacteria to communicate with each other

Answer 16

chemical signals

Question 17

what are the overall 5 phases of biofilm formation?

Answer 17

1. film coating forms over the tooth surface
2. initial bacteria attach to the pellicle
3. new bacteria join the initial bacterial colonizers
4. extracellular slime layer forms
5. mushroom-shaped microcolonies form