Studies on calcium phosphate precipitation: effects of metal ions used in dental materials

The effects of 26 metal ions, of which 23 are used in dental materials, on the conversion of amorphous calcium phosphate (ACP) to hydroxyapatite (HAP) in vitro were studied. From the effects on both the rate of HAP transformation and induction time, effects of metal ions were classified into three types; inhibitory (in the order: nickel, tin, cobalt, manganese, copper, zinc, gallium, thallium, molybdenum, cadmium, antimony, magnesium, and mercury); ineffective (cesium, titanium, chromium, iron [ferrous], iridium, palladium, platinum, silver, gold, aluminum, and lead); and stimulatory (iron [ferric] and indium). These results suggest that metal ions used in dental materials may modify the precipitation of oral calcium phosphate.