Search

Objective: The objective of this in vitro study was an initial screening of the cytotoxic potential of widely used smooth enamel surface sealants., Materials and Methods: A total of 20 products were allocated to four groups based on their chemical composition: (1) filled resin-based sealants, (2) unfilled resin-based sealants, (3) a resin-modified, glass ionomer-based sealant, and (4) silicone-based sealants. All materials were applied to human enamel slices both in accordance with manufacturers' instructions and in additional experiments applying 50% undercuring and 50% overcuring. An agar overlay assay was then used to test the specimens following ISO 10933. The cytotoxic potential of each material was interpreted based on a reaction index that summarized the decolorization and lysis scores obtained., Results: The cytotoxic potential decreased as follows: unfilled resin-based sealants > filled resin-based sealants > resin-modified, glass ionomer-based sealant > silicone-based sealants. In 75% of the resin-based products, deliberate undercuring was associated with more extensive decolorization zones, leading to higher rates of cytotoxic potential in two of those products. Overcuring, by contrast, was associated with a tendency for smaller decolorization zones in 50% of the resin-based products., Conclusion: Surface sealants derived from resin monomers exhibited cytotoxic potential in the agar overlay assay. There is also evidence of a possible association with curing, as undercuring can increase the cytotoxic potential, whereas normal curing (as per manufacturers' instructions) or overcuring may help minimize such effects. More research into the biological implications of these materials is needed, especially with regard to their potential impact on the adjacent gingiva.

Background: Surface sealants have been successfully used in the prevention of erosive tooth wear. However, when multiple tooth surfaces should be sealed, the light-curing procedure is very time-consuming. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate whether reduced light-curing time (while maintaining similar energy density) has an influence on resin-based surface sealant cytotoxicity., Methods: Bovine dentine discs were treated as follows: group 1: untreated, groups 2-5: Seal&Protect and groups 6-9: experimental sealer. Groups 2 and 6 were light-cured (VALO LED light-curing device) for 40 s (1000 mW/cm2), groups 3 and 7 for 10 s (1000 mW/cm2), groups 4 and 8 for 7 s (1400 mW/cm2) and groups 5 and 9 for 3 s (3200 mW/cm2). Later, materials were extracted in culture medium for 24 h, and released lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity as a measure of cytotoxicity was determined photometrically after cells (dental pulp cells and gingival fibroblasts) were exposed to the extracts for 24 h. Three independent experiments, for both sample preparation and cytotoxicity testing, were performed., Results: Overall, lowest cytotoxicity was observed for the unsealed control group. No significant influence of light-curing settings on the cytotoxicity was observed (p = 0.537 and 0.838 for pulp cells and gingival fibroblasts, respectively). No significant difference in the cytotoxicity of the two sealants was observed after light-curing with same light-curing settings (group 2 vs. 6, 3 vs. 7, 4 vs. 8 and 5 vs. 9: p > 0.05, respectively)., Conclusions: Shortening the light-curing time, while maintaining constant energy density, resulted in no higher cytotoxicity of the investigated sealants.