Cytotoxic effects of packable and nonpackable dental composites.
OBJECTIVE
Advanced dental packable and nonpackable composite materials have been recently introduced onto the market as 'amalgam alternatives' for the restoration of posterior teeth. Most established composites are applied in increments of no more than 2mm and light cured to ensure complete polymerization, whereas new formulations have been claimed to be suitable for application in increments of 4-5mm. The aims of the present study were to analyze the cytotoxicity of these new composites in comparison to an established nonpackable composite using standardized cell culture systems and to examine the influence of thickness of the light cured increments on the cytotoxicity of these materials.


METHODS
Specimens were prepared in polyethylene tubes covered with mylar. All materials were light cured in 2.5 or 5mm increments with a Demetron curing light (light intensity: 550 mW/cm(2)). Specimens were added to the cultures immediately after production or after preincubation for 1, 2, 7 days or 6 weeks under cell-culture conditions. Specimens were incubated with L-929 fibroblasts for 72 h and cell numbers determined by flow cytometry. In a different series of experiments, dopaminergic cells were incubated with composite supernatants.


RESULTS
Results with L-929 fibroblasts demonstrated that all freshly prepared composite materials reduced cell numbers (p<0.05) in comparison to controls. The cytotoxicity of all substances diminished after increasing preincubation times (p<0.0001). In a rank order of cytotoxicity, the established composite and two of the advanced composite materials exhibited least cytotoxicity, whereas the other advanced composites showed moderate or severe cytotoxic effects. The cytotoxicity of each material was much higher when polymerized in 5mm increments than in 2.5mm composite increments (p<0.0001).


CONCLUSIONS
Our data demonstrate that the advanced composites tested show similar or more severe cytotoxicity than an established nonpackable composite and that cytotoxicity of all materials investigated increases when applied in a 5mm bulk increment.
School of Dentistry, University of Vienna, Währingerstrasse 25a, A-1090, Vienna, Austria.
Alexander
A
Franz
Franz
F
König
Margit
M
Anglmayer
Xiaohui
X
Rausch-Fan
Gabriele
G
Gille
Wolf Dieter
WD
Rausch
Trevor
T
Lucas
Wolfgang
W
Sperr
Andreas
A
Schedle
D000818:Animals; D003188:Composite Resins / Q000633:toxicity*; D003793:Dental Restoration, Permanent; D004298:Dopamine / Q000378:metabolism; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000187:drug effects*; D007739:L Cells; D008689:Methacrylates / Q000633:toxicity; D051379:Mice; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D012833:Siloxanes / Q000633:toxicity; D013729:Terpenes / Q000633:toxicity; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase / Q000378:metabolism
C409382:Ariston pHc; D003188:Composite Resins; C421785:Definite composite resin; D008689:Methacrylates; C099128:Prodigy; C477351:Prodigy Condensable; D012833:Siloxanes; C469658:Solitaire 2 composite resin; C113049:Solitaire composite resin; C403464:SureFil packable composite; D013729:Terpenes; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase; D004298:Dopamine