A further testing of the effect of dental materials on growth and adhesion of animal cells <i>in vitro</i>

Abstract

abstract – Human epithelial cells (NCTC 2544) were cultivated in plastic Petri dishes containing disks of dental materials. The effect of the materials on cell growth around and on the surface of the disks was estimated by cell counts. The amount of glucose utilized and lactate formed in the culture media was measured and related to cell growth. In the presence of gold alloy no effect was found. By cell counts a toxic effect was observed on the surface of QC‐20® and Biodent® (heat‐cured acrylics). Around the disks, however, cell growth was not affected. In cultures with silicate cement, Addent 12®, silver amalgam, and copper amalgam, cell growth was inhibited both around and on the surface of the disks, the effect being most pronounced with the two amalgams. Discrepancies observed between cell counts and the metabolic parameters indicate that the latter should be used with caution when evaluating relative toxicities of dental materials.