Cytotoxicity of potential retrograde root-filling materials.

The cytotoxicity of potential retrograde root-filling materials was assessed using the Millipore filter method. A light-cured glass ionomer cement, Vitrebond (VB), and three reinforced zinc oxide-eugenol cements, Kalzinol, IRM and ethoxybenzoic acid (EBA) cement, were compared with amalgam. Twenty standardized pellets of each material, 10 fresh and 10 aged by storage in sterile distilled water for 72 h were produced. Ten filters were included as controls: five filters with a cell monolayer, but without test specimens, and another five without cells but with test specimens. Fresh IRM exhibited the most pronounced cytotoxic effect and the difference was statistically significant compared with all the other materials. There was no statistically significant difference between fresh VB, Kalzinol, EBA cement and amalgam. When aged, Kalzinol was the most cytotoxic and the difference was statistically significant compared with the other materials. Aged IRM was the second most cytotoxic material and this too was statistically different. The cytotoxicity of VB, EBA, and amalgam did not differ significantly from one another.