Cytotoxic effect of four root filling materials

Area of Science:

• Endodontics
• Biomaterials Science
• Cell Biology

Background:

• Root canal sealers are essential in endodontic therapy to obturate the root canal system.
• Evaluating the biocompatibility and cytotoxic effects of root canal sealers is crucial for successful endodontic treatment.
• Several root canal sealers, including AH26, AH Plus, Diaket, and Apexit, are commonly used in clinical practice.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the in vitro cytotoxic effects of four commonly used root canal sealers: AH26, AH Plus, Diaket, and Apexit.
• To assess the impact of these sealers on two distinct cell lines: human cervical carcinoma (HeLa) cells and mouse skin fibroblasts (L929).

Main Methods:

• Cytotoxicity was evaluated using HeLa and L929 cell lines.
• Sealers were prepared according to manufacturer instructions and applied to cell cultures in a 24-well plate.
• Cell viability and total cell counts were assessed via light microscopy at 24, 48, and 120 hours post-exposure.

Main Results:

• AH Plus exhibited significant cytotoxicity, comparable to or exceeding that of AH26 and Diaket.
• Apexit demonstrated the lowest level of cytotoxicity among the tested root canal sealers.
• Cytotoxic effects were observed across different time points (24h, 48h, 120h) for the tested materials.

Conclusions:

• AH Plus presents a higher cytotoxic profile compared to Apexit and similar toxicity to AH26 and Diaket.
• Apexit appears to be the most biocompatible sealer among the four evaluated materials.
• Further in vivo studies may be warranted to confirm these in vitro findings regarding root canal sealer cytotoxicity.