{"id":{"repo_id":"buffalo","oai_identifier":"oai:ubir.buffalo.edu:10477/86743"},"canonical_url":"https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/buffalo/oai:ubir.buffalo.edu:10477/86743","repository":{"repo_id":"buffalo","name":"Buffalo","base_url":"https://ubir.buffalo.edu/oai/request"},"display":{"title":"Characterization of Oral Microbiome in Clear Aligner Treatment Patients","abstract":"M.S.","abstract_html":"M.S.","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Pai, Chia-Hua; 0000-0003-4687-3256"],"institution":"State University of New York at Buffalo","degree_name":null,"degree_level":null,"degree_discipline":null,"degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Wu, Tingxi","Orthodontics"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2025,"date_issued":"2025-02-21T21:44:38Z","date_published":"2025-02-21T21:44:38Z","updated_at":"2026-07-27T19:05:34Z","subjects":["dentistry","microbiology"],"languages":["eng"],"rights":["Users of works found in University at Buffalo Institutional Repository (UBIR) are responsible for identifying and contacting the copyright owner for permission to reuse. University at Buffalo Libraries do not manage rights for copyright-protected works and cannot assist with permissions.","Copyright retained by author."],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"http://hdl.handle.net/10477/86743","outbound_label":"Handle","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Wu, Tingxi","Orthodontics"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Pai, Chia-Hua; 0000-0003-4687-3256"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date","label":"Dc Date","values":["2025-02-21T21:44:38Z","2020"]},{"key":"dc:publisher","label":"Institution","values":["State University of New York at Buffalo"]},{"key":"dc:type","label":"Dc Type","values":["Text","Thesis"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["dentistry","microbiology"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:language","label":"Dc Language","values":["eng"]},{"key":"dc:rights","label":"Dc Rights","values":["Users of works found in University at Buffalo Institutional Repository (UBIR) are responsible for identifying and contacting the copyright owner for permission to reuse. University at Buffalo Libraries do not manage rights for copyright-protected works and cannot assist with permissions.","Copyright retained by author."]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["http://hdl.handle.net/10477/86743"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description","label":"Description","values":["M.S.","Background: In orthodontics, clear aligner treatment (CAT) involves the use of custom removable appliances that provide patients with better access for oral hygiene compared to traditional fixed appliances. However, dental caries and gingival disease has still been observed in patients using CAT. Past studies have examined the activities of specific pathogens associated with oral diseases during CAT, but few have investigated the changes in the oral microbiome. Analysis of the underlying conditions related to changes in the microbial community could help to develop therapeutic methods to reduce and prevent incidence of CAT complications. Purpose: The objective of this study was to analyze the comprehensive changes of the oral microbiome and clinical parameters (plaque and gingival indices) during CAT, and to assess correlations between these factors. Materials and Methods: This prospective, longitudinal exploratory study included 24 healthy patients treated with CAT who were 7 years or older. Dental plaque from all existing dentition except for 3rd molars (whole arch plaque) and plaque from clear aligners (tray plaque) were collected at four time points: T0 – CAT start date; T1 – 1.5 to 2 months after CAT started; T2 – 2.5 to 4 months after start; T3 – 5-7 months after start. Gingival and plaque indices were also collected at the study time points. Clinical sample analysis was carried out using 16S rRNA sequencing protocol. Changes in the microbial composition, alpha and beta diversity measures were used to characterize the oral microbiome of CAT patients. Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used to identify significant differences (p < 0.05) in alpha diversity over time and between dental plaque collected from different regions, as well as gingival and plaque indices throughout CAT. Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient was used to find significant correlations between clinical indices examined, in alpha diversity of different plaque types during CAT, and between changes in oral microbiome and clinical parameters during CAT. Results: Plaque index (PI) was highest at T0. There was a significant decrease in PI at T1, followed by a gradual increase at subsequent time points. Gingival index (GI) increased significantly at every time point after CAT started. The changes of the clinical indices were significantly correlated at T1, T2, and T3 (p = 0.046, 0.021, and 0.001, respectively). Pairwise comparisons of the clinical samples using beta diversity metrics and Principal Coordinates Analysis (PCoA) showed that whole arch and tray plaque housed distinctly different microbial communities. Alpha diversity analysis indicated that the microbial population of tray plaque was significantly less diverse than that of whole arch plaque at all study time points, and that the diversity levels were significantly correlated at T3. Longitudinal evaluations of plaque samples indicated that there were no significant changes in alpha diversity levels of whole arch and tray plaque between any study time points. There were no significant correlations between changes in oral microbiome and clinical indices during CAT. Conclusion: The first 7 months of CAT did not negatively impact supragingival and aligner tray surface microbiome in terms of alpha diversity. However, significant increase in gingiva index was observed and further investigation is warranted to examine its association with microbial changes.","**To request an accessible version of the file(s) associated with this item, contact library@buffalo.edu. Please include the item's persistent URL [http://hdl.handle.net/. . .] in your request.**"]},{"key":"dc:format","label":"Dc Format","values":["application/pdf"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Characterization of Oral Microbiome in Clear Aligner Treatment Patients"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Wu, Tingxi","Orthodontics"],"dc:creator":["Pai, Chia-Hua; 0000-0003-4687-3256"],"dc:date":["2025-02-21T21:44:38Z","2020"],"dc:description":["M.S.","Background: In orthodontics, clear aligner treatment (CAT) involves the use of custom removable appliances that provide patients with better access for oral hygiene compared to traditional fixed appliances. However, dental caries and gingival disease has still been observed in patients using CAT. Past studies have examined the activities of specific pathogens associated with oral diseases during CAT, but few have investigated the changes in the oral microbiome. Analysis of the underlying conditions related to changes in the microbial community could help to develop therapeutic methods to reduce and prevent incidence of CAT complications. Purpose: The objective of this study was to analyze the comprehensive changes of the oral microbiome and clinical parameters (plaque and gingival indices) during CAT, and to assess correlations between these factors. Materials and Methods: This prospective, longitudinal exploratory study included 24 healthy patients treated with CAT who were 7 years or older. Dental plaque from all existing dentition except for 3rd molars (whole arch plaque) and plaque from clear aligners (tray plaque) were collected at four time points: T0 – CAT start date; T1 – 1.5 to 2 months after CAT started; T2 – 2.5 to 4 months after start; T3 – 5-7 months after start. Gingival and plaque indices were also collected at the study time points. Clinical sample analysis was carried out using 16S rRNA sequencing protocol. Changes in the microbial composition, alpha and beta diversity measures were used to characterize the oral microbiome of CAT patients. Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used to identify significant differences (p < 0.05) in alpha diversity over time and between dental plaque collected from different regions, as well as gingival and plaque indices throughout CAT. Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient was used to find significant correlations between clinical indices examined, in alpha diversity of different plaque types during CAT, and between changes in oral microbiome and clinical parameters during CAT. Results: Plaque index (PI) was highest at T0. There was a significant decrease in PI at T1, followed by a gradual increase at subsequent time points. Gingival index (GI) increased significantly at every time point after CAT started. The changes of the clinical indices were significantly correlated at T1, T2, and T3 (p = 0.046, 0.021, and 0.001, respectively). Pairwise comparisons of the clinical samples using beta diversity metrics and Principal Coordinates Analysis (PCoA) showed that whole arch and tray plaque housed distinctly different microbial communities. Alpha diversity analysis indicated that the microbial population of tray plaque was significantly less diverse than that of whole arch plaque at all study time points, and that the diversity levels were significantly correlated at T3. Longitudinal evaluations of plaque samples indicated that there were no significant changes in alpha diversity levels of whole arch and tray plaque between any study time points. There were no significant correlations between changes in oral microbiome and clinical indices during CAT. Conclusion: The first 7 months of CAT did not negatively impact supragingival and aligner tray surface microbiome in terms of alpha diversity. However, significant increase in gingiva index was observed and further investigation is warranted to examine its association with microbial changes.","**To request an accessible version of the file(s) associated with this item, contact library@buffalo.edu. Please include the item's persistent URL [http://hdl.handle.net/. . .] in your request.**"],"dc:format":["application/pdf"],"dc:identifier":["http://hdl.handle.net/10477/86743"],"dc:language":["eng"],"dc:publisher":["State University of New York at Buffalo"],"dc:rights":["Users of works found in University at Buffalo Institutional Repository (UBIR) are responsible for identifying and contacting the copyright owner for permission to reuse. University at Buffalo Libraries do not manage rights for copyright-protected works and cannot assist with permissions.","Copyright retained by author."],"dc:subject":["dentistry","microbiology"],"dc:title":["Characterization of Oral Microbiome in Clear Aligner Treatment Patients"],"dc:type":["Text","Thesis"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-27T19:05:34Z"}