Cytotoxicity of metal ions released by an aluminium bronze dental material. Synergic effect of the mixture of ions

M.L. MORALES; C. GRILLO; M. FERNÁNDEZ LORENZO; M.V. MIRÍFICO

Natal

Congreso; Congreso Latinoamericano de Órganos Artificiales y Biomateriales (COLAOB); 2012

SLABO - Sociedade Latina Americana de Biomateriais, Orgãos Artificias e Engenharia de Tecidos

Aluminium bronzes have appeared as economical substitutes of conventional gold rich alloys to fabricate crowns and bridges. However, a very low corrosion resistance and possible cytotoxic effects on surrounding cells were reported. The aim of this work is to study the dissolution of an aluminium bronze and the cytotoxic effects of the ions released on osteoblastic cell line. Conventional electrochemical techniques and atomic absorption spectroscopy to obtain the average concentration (AC) of ions were employed to study the corrosion process. The cytotoxicity was evaluated by a) ions released by the metal alloy immersed in the cell culture and b) salts of the metal ions. Results showed that the AC of the metal ions released can not be predicted on the basis of the overall composition of the alloy. Cytotoxic effects in cells of the vicinity of the metal were observed. Importantly, synergistic effects were found when Al-Zn ion combinations and mixtures of the ions at 9 x AC concentrations were employed. These results were interpreted considering the synergistic effects and a diffusion controlled mechanism that, in the metal surroundings, yields to concentration levels several times higher than the AC value.