Presence and leaching of bisphenol a (BPA) from dental materials

BPA has been reported to leach from some resin based dental restorative materials and materials used for orthodontic treatment. To confirm and update previous findings, especially in light of the new temporary lower threshold value for tolerable daily BPA intake, we have investigated the leaching of BPA from 4 composite filling materials, 3 sealants and 2 orthodontic bonding materials. The materials were either uncured and dissolved in methanol or cured. The cured materials were kept in deionized water for 24 hours or 2 weeks. Samples were subsequently analyzed by ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS-MS). The composite filling material Tetric EvoFlow^® and the fissure sealant DELTON^® showed significantly higher levels of BPA leaching compared to control samples for all test conditions (uncured, 24 h leaching and 2 weeks leaching). There were no significant differences in amount of leached BPA for any of the tested materials after 24 hours compared to 2 weeks. These results show that BPA is still released from some dental materials despite the general concern about potential adverse effects of BPA. However, the amounts of BPA were relatively low and most likely represent a very small contribution to the total BPA exposure.

Interactions of liposomes with dental restorative materials

The in vitro adsorption and retention of liposomes onto four common types of dental restorative materials (conventional and silorane-based resin composites as well as conventional and resin-modified glass ionomer cements (GIC)) have been investigated due to their potential use in the oral cavity. Uncoated liposomes (positively and negatively charged) and pectin (low- and high-methoxylated) coated liposomes were prepared and characterized in terms of particle size and zeta potential. The adsorption of liposomes was performed by immersion, quantified by fluorescence detection, and visualized by fluorescence imaging and atomic force microscopy. Positive liposomes demonstrated the highest adsorption on all four types of materials likely due to their attractive surface charge. They also retained well (minimum 40% after 60 min) on both conventional resin composite and GIC even when exposed to simulated salivary flow. Although an intermediate initial level of adsorption was found for the pectin coated liposomes, at least 70% high methoxylated-pectin coated liposomes still remained on the conventional resin composite after 60 min flow exposure. This indicates significant contribution of hydrophobic interactions in the prolonged binding of liposomes to resin composites. Based on these results, the present paper suggests two new possible applications of liposomes in the preservation of dental restorations.

The influence of bis-EMA vs bis GMA on the degree of conversion and water susceptibility of experimental composite materials

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this work was to assess the influence of the bis-EMA content on the degree of conversion (DC) and its effect on the water sorption and solubility.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In a polytetrafluorethylene (PTFE) mould, 30 samples (Ø = 5 mm, height = 2 mm) of four experimental dental composite resins were cured for 10 s, 20 s and 40 s. The DC was analysed by Fourier Transform (FT)-Raman spectroscopy. To analyse sorption and solubility, six samples (Ø = 15 mm and thickness = 1 mm) of each composite (n = 72) were stored in water at 37°C for different storage periods: 24 h, 7 days and 30 days.

RESULTS

When cured for 20 or 40 s the DC increased with the increasing content of bis-EMA. However, the presence of 15 wt% of bis-GMA did not affect the DC, except when cured with 10 s irradiation time. This study also found a correlation between the content of bis-EMA and the reduced values for sorption and solubility, for all storage times used, when the materials were cured with 20 s.

CONCLUSIONS

The DC of mixtures with higher content of bis-EMA is affected by the presence of bis-GMA at lower energy density delivered from the curing device, suggesting that the restrictions caused by the presence of hydrogen bonds is dependent of the irradiation time used.

Surface modification of fiber reinforced polymer composites and their attachment to bone simulating material

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of fiber orientation of a fiber-reinforced composite (FRC) made of poly-methyl-methacrylate (PMMA) and E-glass to the surface fabrication process by solvent dissolution. Intention of the dissolution process was to expose the fibers and create a macroporous surface onto the FRC to enhance bone bonding of the material. The effect of dissolution and fiber direction to the bone bonding capability of the FRC material was also tested. Three groups of FRC specimens (n = 18/group) were made of PMMA and E-glass fiber reinforcement: (a) group with continuous fibers parallel to the surface of the specimen, (b) continuous fibers oriented perpendicularly to the surface, (c) randomly oriented short (discontinuous) fibers. Fourth specimen group (n = 18) made of plain PMMA served as controls. The specimens were subjected to a solvent treatment by tetrahydrofuran (THF) of either 5, 15 or 30 min of time (n = 6/time point), and the advancement of the dissolution (front) was measured. The solvent treatment also exposed the fibers and created a surface roughness on to the specimens. The solvent treated specimens were embedded into plaster of Paris to simulate bone bonding by mechanical locking and a pull-out test was undertaken to determine the strength of the attachment. All the FRC specimens dissolved as function of time, as the control group showed no marked dissolution during the study period. The specimens with fibers along the direction of long axis of specimen began to dissolve significantly faster than specimens in other groups, but the test specimens with randomly oriented short fibers showed the greatest depth of dissolution after 30 min. The pull-out test showed that the PMMA specimens with fibers were retained better by the plaster of Paris than specimens without fibers. However, direction of the fibers considerably influenced the force of attachment. The fiber reinforcement increases significantly the dissolution speed, and the orientation of the glass fibers has great effect on the dissolving depth of the polymer matrix of the composite, and thus on the exposure of fibers. The glass fibers exposed by the solvent treatment enhanced effectively the attachment of the specimen to the bone modeling material.

Identification and quantification of leachable substances from polymer-based orthodontic base-plate materials

The aim of this study was to analyse leachable monomers, additives, and degradation products from polymer-based orthodontic base-plate materials. One heat-cured resin (Orthocryl), one light-cured (Triad VLC), and three thermoplastic materials (Biocryl C, Essix A+, and Essix Embrace) were investigated. Elution was performed in water at 37°C for 10 days. The extract medium was changed and analysed daily. Chromatographic methods were used to identify and quantify the leachables. In addition, the content of residual methyl methacrylate (MMA) was quantified in the poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA)-based materials. Statistical analysis of the quantitative results was performed using a t-test for comparison of two independent samples. Monomers and additives leached from the materials polymerized in situ and from the thermoplastic PMMA-based material. No leachable substances were found in the extracts from the other thermoplastic materials. Accumulated over 10 days, a larger amount of MMA leached from the powder-and-liquid material, Orthocryl (42 μg/cm(2)), than from the thermoplastic material, Biocryl C (0.49 μg/cm(2)). The accumulated amounts of monomers leached from Triad VLC were 91 μg/cm(2) of urethane dimethacrylate and 2.2 μg/cm(2) of 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate. Formaldehyde was found to leach from methacrylate-based materials: 3.2 μg/cm(2) from Orthocryl and 0.16 μg/cm(2) from Triad VLC. However, formaldehyde was not detectable in extracts from Biocryl C. Residual MMA was 5.4 wt % in Orthocryl and 0.4 wt % in Biocryl C. No phthalates were detected in the tested materials. In this in vitro study, minimal leaching was found from the thermoplastic materials, while leaching of methacrylates and formaldehyde was observed from the powder-and-liquid type and the paste material. Within the limitations of this study, the results suggest that prefabricated thermoplastic plates should be preferred for patients with an allergy to methacrylates.

Pattern of cell death after in vitro exposure to GDMA, TEGDMA, HEMA and two compomer extracts

OBJECTIVES

In vitro exposure to chemical compounds in dental materials may cause cell death by apoptosis, necrosis or a combination of both. The aim of this paper was to evaluate aqueous extracts of freshly cured compomers Freedom (SDI) and F2000 (3M ESPE), and constituents identified in the extracts, GDMA (glycerol dimethacrylate), TEGDMA (triethylene glycol dimethacrylate) and HEMA (2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) for their ability to induce necrosis and apoptosis in primary rat alveolar macrophages and the J744A1 macrophage cell line.

METHODS

The cells were exposed to either extracts of freshly cured samples of the products or to one of the constituents identified in the extracts. Cytotoxicity and necrosis were assayed by MTT test and fluorescence microscopy, respectively. Apoptosis was assayed by fluorescence microscopy and flow cytometry.

RESULTS

Concentration-related apoptosis and necrosis were found in both cell types after exposure to extracts from Freedom and F2000. GDMA appeared to be the most cytotoxic of the tested constituents in the J744A1 cell line as evaluated by the MTT test. TEGDMA was more cytotoxic than HEMA using the MTT test and fluorescence microscopy, whereas HEMA caused a greater accumulation of apoptotic cells seen by fluorescence microscopy and flow cytometry. For various concentrations of HEMA and TEGDMA, the extent of apoptosis appeared inversely related to the cytotoxicity evaluated by the MTT test.

SIGNIFICANCE

As an apoptotic response elicits less inflammatory response in the surrounding tissues than a necrotic process, the role of cell death pattern could be important for the evaluation of the biocompatibility of dental materials.