Glossary entry
Dental Biofilm
Also called: Dental plaque
Dental biofilm is a structured community of bacteria attached to tooth or implant surfaces, embedded in a self-produced matrix of polysaccharides, proteins, and DNA.
What is dental biofilm?
Dental biofilm — historically called plaque — is a microbial community adhered to hard and soft oral surfaces. Bacteria within a biofilm behave differently from planktonic bacteria: they communicate through quorum sensing, exchange genetic material, and resist antimicrobials at orders of magnitude higher concentrations than free-floating cells.
Biofilm maturity and composition shift the clinical picture: early biofilm is dominated by aerobic streptococci and is readily disrupted mechanically; mature subgingival biofilm shifts anaerobic and is associated with periodontitis and peri-implantitis.
When is it used?
Biofilm is the clinical target of:
- Routine prophylaxis (supragingival removal)
- Non-surgical periodontal therapy (subgingival disruption)
- Peri-implant maintenance
- Caries prevention strategies