title: Odontologic use of copper/aluminum alloys: mitochondrial respiration as sensitive parameter of biocompatibility.
abstract: Copper/aluminum alloys are largely utilized in odontological restorations because they are less expensive than gold or platinum. However, tarnishing and important corrosion in intrabuccal prostheses made with copper/aluminum alloys after 28 days of use have been reported. Several kinds of food and beverage may attack and corrode these alloys. Copper is an essential component of several important enzymes directly involved in mitochondrial respiratory metabolism. Aluminum, in contrast, is very toxic and, when absorbed, plasma values as small as 1.65 to 21.55 microg/dl can cause severe lesions to the nervous system, kidneys, and bone marrow. Because mitochondria are extremely sensitive to minimal variation of cellular physiology, the direct relationship between the mitocondrial respiratory chain and cell lesions has been used as a sensitive parameter to evaluate cellular aggression by external agents. This work consisted in the polarographic study of mitochondrial respiratory metabolism of livers and kidneys of rabbits with femoral implants of titanium or copper/aluminum alloy screws. The experimental results obtained did not show physiological modifications of hepatic or renal mitochondria isolated from animals of the three experimental groups, which indicate good biocompatibility of copper/ aluminum alloys and suggest their odontological use.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Basic Research, EBMSP, Foundation for Science Development, Salvador, BA, Brazil. erlon@ufba.br
authors.forename: Luiz Erlon A
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: Rodrigues
authors.forename: Antônio A V F
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Carvalho
authors.forename: Antônio L M
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Azevedo
authors.forename: Cecília B B V
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Cruz
authors.forename: Antônio Wanderley C
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: Maia
mesh_terms: D000497:Alloys / Q000737:chemistry*; D000535:Aluminum / Q000737:chemistry*; D000818:Animals; D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000737:chemistry*; D001863:Bone Screws; D003300:Copper / Q000737:chemistry*; D003343:Corrosion; D003764:Dental Materials / Q000737:chemistry; D005269:Femur / Q000601:surgery; D007668:Kidney / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D008930:Mitochondria, Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D010101:Oxygen Consumption / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D011048:Polarography; D011817:Rabbits; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D013347:Subcellular Fractions / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D013499:Surface Properties; D014025:Titanium / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D000497:Alloys; D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D003764:Dental Materials; D003300:Copper; D000535:Aluminum; D014025:Titanium