Table 2.

Advantages and limitations of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) on biofilm analysis.

Technique	Advantages	Limitations	References
Scanning electron microscopy	High resolution Wide range of magnifications Good comparative information Ability to image complex shapes	Not real time Requires additional sample preparation Limited quantification	[45–49]
Confocal laser scanning microscopy	Living, fully hydrated samples Non-invasive Quantitative evaluation Reflection and fluorescence mode	Low resolution Narrow range of magnifications Not applicable to thick biofilms	[35, 47, 50–52]