Composite luting cements are applied onto the cut dentin and thus the risk for the dental pulp has to be assessed. Objective:To evaluate the cytotoxicity of a new self-adhesive composite luting material containing new monomers in comparison with a known material in a dentin barrier test simulating the in vivo situation. Methods: Three dimensional cultures of SV40 transfected pulp derived cells (Schmalz et al., J Dent Res 78: 522, 1999) were transferred into an in vitro dentin barrier test device with dentin slices of 200 and 500 mm thickness. After 24 h incubation at 37°C test materials were applied into the cavity part of the device. Ceramic inserts (Cerafil, Brassler) were luted to the dentin with (1) Variolink II/Excite (Vivadent) or (2) RelyX Unicem (3MEspe). A light curing glass ionomer cement (Vitrebond, 3MEspe) was used as reference material and an A-silicone impression material (President, Coltene) as negative control (100% cell vitality). The pulpal part of the device was perfused with cell culture medium. After 24 h exposure, cell survival was measured by MTT tests, and 10 cultures per material were statistically analyzed (Mann-Whitney-test, a=0.05). Results: With 500 mm dentin, cell survival rates for Variolink II/Excite (111%) and RelyX Unicem (94%) were statistically not different from the negative control, but from the reference material (75%). With 200 mm dentin, cytotoxicity of all test materials significantly increased. Both luting cements were significantly less toxic than the reference material (26%). RelyX Unicem (77%) was significantly less toxic than Variolink II/Excite (56%). Conclusions: With a residual dentin barrier of 0.5 mm the tested composite luting cements may not alter biologically the dental pulp on a short term basis. With a very thin dentin layer, both test materials affected the cells with the self-adhesive material being less toxic and pulp protection is still recommended.

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