Cytotoxicity of experimental casting alloys evaluated by cell culture tests

The cytotoxicity of a series of 29 experimental alloys and six pure metals was determined with cell culture techniques and succinic dehydrogenase histochemistry. The width of any ring of inhibition, optical density of the histochemically stained cells, and a visual ranking of the intensity of the blue color of the stained cells were compared for determination of cytotoxicity. Twenty-four of the 35 metals and alloys (approximately 70%) had the same rankings by the three methods. Of the pure metals, Au, Pd, and Ti were the least cytotoxic, followed by Ag, then Ni, and finally, Cu. Single-phase alloys with moderately high Cu and without high Pd and Au concentrations had high cytotoxicity, as did multiphase alloys, even when they were high in Au and Ag. High Pd was more effective in maintaining the biocompatibility of alloys containing Cu than was Au. Single-phase alloys with compositions typical of those to be used for porcelain-fused-to-metal restorations showed good biocompatibility, as did those base metal alloys that formed adherent oxide surface layers.