Components of oral microbiome as potential risk factors of local and general infections in patients with and without congenital malformations of masticatory system

The oral cavity is an open system with complex and dynamic relations between the human host and the microbiota. Stomatognathic disorders, cleft lip and palate are the most common congenital malformations. Incidence varies from 1/500 to 1/2500 live births. In Poland, it appears every year in 800 newborns, as a single disorder or in syndromes. The environmental and hereditary factors, both have influence on the development of this pathology. Treatment of patients with cleft malformations is comprehensive and long-lasting, and includes orthodontic treatment. Both the malformation and the use of orthodontic appliances change significantly the condition of the patients' oral cavities. Such changes have an impact on the oral cavity microbiota, shifting the composition of physiological microorganisms and evoking the appearance of opportunistic and potentially pathogenic bacteria, fungi and/or protists. Analysis of the available literature implicates that co-infections with different opportunistic/pathogenic strains are potentially serious risk factors of local and general complications in patients with various congenital malformations. It should be emphasized that the human oral cavity may act as a major, yet poorly known, reservoir of microorganisms that can induce clinically important infections. However, there are scarce data concerning the presence of opportunistic bacteria, fungi and protists in patients with congenital cleft malformations, thus, further studies are highly important to decrease a risk of medical complications.