Objectives: Purpose of this study was to evaluate the cytocompatibility of three composites in cultures of immortalized mouse fibroblasts (3T3, recommended by ISO 10993-5 1992) and primary human gingival fibroblasts (HGF). Cytotoxic effects of Tetric Ceram Heavy Body® (I), Heliomolar Heavy Body® (II), the TEGDMA-free In Ten-S® (III), and Vitrebond® (IV) were determined using three different assays. Methods: HGF and 3T3 cells were seeded in 96-well microplates and grown for 24h. Thereafter, fibroblasts were exposed to medium extracts of the test materials (extraction time: 24h) for 24 h and 48 h. Cytotoxic effects were determined by H33342 (DNA-intercalation), sulforhodamine 101 (cellular protein content), and XTT assays (mitochondrial metabolic activity) in comparison to negative (untreated, cell growth=100%) and positive (IV) controls. All assays with each six replicates were repeated four times to ensure reproducibility. Results: (Values represent means in percent of untreated control). Extracts of all composites were non-toxic in HGF cultures in all assays and non-toxic in the sulfo 101 assay with 3T3 cells as well, independently from the incubation time. Using the more sensitive assays it was found that composite III caused only slight alterations in 3T3 cultures with the XTT (94%) and H33342 (82%), which not increased by a longer incubation time of 48h. Extract IV inhibited the growth of HGF cells after 24h as tested in previous studies: H33342 (46 %), Sulfo 101 (58%), and XTT (5%). Cell growth were affected moderately by the composites I: XTT (78%), H33342 (71%), and II: XTT (76%), H33342 (69%) compared to IV H33342 (14 %), and XTT (3%). Conclusions: From these results we conclude that different cell types and assays should be applied for investigating cytocompatibility of dental materials. Our findings also indicate that composite III is biocompatible in both cell cultures. (Partly supported by Vivadent)

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