Objectives: Nickel-Chromium(NiCr) alloys are widely used in dentistry. Typically, they may also contain Manganese, Molybdenum, Aluminium, Iron, Silicon and Titanium. These elements may be released into the oral cavity at low pH. The aim of this study was to monitor the release of some of these elements as pH was adjusted. Methods: One NiCr-Molybdenum (Mo) alloy (Remanium) and one NiCr-Iron (Fe) alloy (Wirolloy) were placed into Phosphate Buffered Saline (PBS) solutions with a varying pH from 7 down to 2 at intervals of 0.5. After placing test pieces into solution they were agitated and incubated at 37°C for 5 days. The test pieces were removed and the metal contents were determined atomic spectroscopically (using GFAAS and ICP-AES). Results: For most of the elements investigated, there was a general increase in rate of release with decreased pH. Typically, the trend was gradual until the pH dropped below 4, where noticeable increases were observed. Both alloys showed similar trends. Conclusion: Results from this preliminary study have showed a promising trend of data. The work is part of a more in depth study concerning nickel – and the other elements investigated have showed a similar trend to nickel where decreased pH enhances element release.

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