Cytotoxicity of resin-based luting cements to pulp cells

To evaluate the cytotoxicity of components released from different types of luting cements to two cell lines obtained from pulp tissue.

Three types of luting cements were evaluated, distributed into the following groups: G1--negative control (no treatment); G2--resin-modified glass-ionomer cement (Rely X Luting 2); G3--self-adhesive resin cement (Rely X U200); and G4--conventional resin cement (Rely X ARC). Standardized cylindrical specimens (14 mm diameter and 1 mm thick) prepared with the dental materials were immersed in culture medium (DMEM) for 24 hours to obtain the extracts (DMEM + components released from the cements). Then, the extracts were applied to cultured odontoblast-like MDPC-23 cells or human dental pulp cells (HDPCs). Finally, cell viability (MTT assay), cell death (Annexin/PI) (Kruskal-Wallis/Mann-Whitney; α = 5%) and cell morphology (SEM) were assessed. Cements' components in contact with cells (SEM/EDS) and pH of the extracts were also evaluated.

The resin-modified glass-ionomer cement (G2) caused the most intense toxic effect to the two cell lines; the cell viability reduction was around 95.8% and 89.4% for MDPC-23 cells and HDPCs, respectively, which was statistically significantly different compared with that of the negative control group (G1). Also, a high quantity of particles leached from this ionomeric cement was found on the cells, which showed intense morphological alterations. In the G2 group, 100% necrosis was observed for both cell lines, and an acidic pH was detected on the extract. Conversely, Rely X U200 (G3) and Rely X ARC (G4), which presented low solubility and no alteration in pH, caused only slight cytotoxicity to the cultured cells.