title: The effect of zinc on the biocompatibility of dental amalgams in vitro.
abstract: When freshly triturated, two zinc-containing amalgams, Velvalloy and Dispersalloy, were more cytotoxic in vitro than two zinc-free amalgams Amalcap and Sybraloy. The high copper amalgam, Sybraloy, was only slightly irritant: similarly the presence of copper in Dispersalloy did not increase its toxicity over Velvalloy. All four amalgams retained some degree of toxicity up to one month after setting which is in marked contrast to most other dental materials investigated previously. This was greatest with the zinc-containing amalgams and was accompanied by the continued release of zinc over this period.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003300:Copper / Q000633:toxicity; D006224:Cricetinae; D003723:Dental Amalgam / Q000633:toxicity*; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000187:drug effects; D008264:Macrophages / Q000187:drug effects; D051379:Mice; D015032:Zinc / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D003300:Copper; D003723:Dental Amalgam; D015032:Zinc