Cytotoxicity in vitro analysis of ceramic materials for ''metal free'' prosthetic substructures.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to investigate the in vitro cytotoxicity of 5 ceramic materials for metal-free fixed prosthodontics: In-Ceram, Cergo, IPS Empress II, Cercon ZrO2, Finesse All Ceram compared each other and to commercially pure Titanium (CpTi).


METHODS
The materials, prepared directly from manufacturers as 10 mm diameter and 3 mm thickness disks, have been tested following the ISO 10993-l guidelines, performing the in vitro cytotoxicity test with the use of mouse's cells, fibroblasts L-929, isolated by muscular tissue and cultured in an appropriate medium. The MTT test has been used to evaluate the cell viability through the succinate dehydrogenase enzyme activity. The originality of this investigation is that all the materials examined have been tested under the same conditions: the cytotoxicity test has been performed on these materials at the same time, in the same period, under the same conditions of temperature and humidity and by the same operator.


RESULTS
Not all tested materials were free from cytotoxicity. Cercon, within the limits of this in vitro study, showed the lower cytotoxicity.


CONCLUSIONS
This in vitro study suggested that ceramic materials for metal free prosthetic substructures are in competition with the CpTi which is very used in implant prosthodontics.
Pera
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Prosthodontics Unit, School of Dentistry, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy.
Conserva
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E
Pin
D
D
Acquaviva
A
A
Riboldi
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A
Mariottini
G L
GL
Pane
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L
D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002516:Ceramics / Q000633:toxicity*; D017266:Dental Prosthesis; D017267:Dental Prosthesis Design; D008422:Materials Testing; D051381:Rats; D018675:Toxicity Tests