Cytotoxicity comparison of three current direct pulp-capping agents with a new bioceramic root repair putty.

INTRODUCTION: The purpose of this in vitro study was to compare the cytotoxicity of white mineral trioxide aggregate cement (AMTA, MTA-Angelus), Brasseler Endosequence Root Repair Putty (ERRM), Dycal, and Ultra-blend Plus (UBP) by using human dermal fibroblasts and a 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay.

METHODS: Cultured adult human dermal fibroblasts were exposed to multiple concentrations of material elutes. The test material samples were immersed and incubated in the culture medium for 2, 5, or 8 days at 37°C. The cytotoxic effects were recorded by using an MTT-based colorimetric assay. Positive and negative controls were used. The results were statistically examined by one-way analysis of variance and Tukey post tests.

RESULTS: The cell viability of cultures exposed to all dilutions of AMTA, ERRM, and UBP was statistically similar to the negative control at 2 and 5 days. Only the Dycal-exposed specimens exhibited a statistically significant increase in cytotoxicity at the 2 initial evaluation periods. After exposure to the 8-day elutes, the respective percentage of cell survivability was 91% (Brasseler), 88% (MTA-Angelus), 76% (Ultra-blend Plus), and 37% (Dycal).

CONCLUSIONS: From the data in this in vitro study, AMTA, ERRM, and UBP had statistically similar adult human dermal fibroblast cytotoxicity levels. Relative to the negative control, only Dycal was shown to have a statistically significant cytotoxic effect to adult human dermal fibroblasts at all tested intervals.