In vitro evaluation of the effect of freshly mixed amalgam and gallium-based alloy on the viability of primary periosteal and osteoblast cell cultures

The effect of freshly mixed specimens of a gallium-based alloy Galley(R) an d a high copper spherical amalgam Tytin(R) on the viability of primary peri osteal and osteoblast cells was investigated. The cells were grown from the parietal bones of 2-3 day old Albino Wistar rats and were seeded in multi- well plates and exposed to the test materials for 1 or 6 days. The number o f viable cells in each test group was determined using the Trypan blue dye exclusion test and compared with the controls. The area of cell death aroun d the test specimens was also measured. Statistical analysis (ANOVA, Tukey' s pairwise comparisons) showed a significant effect of the test materials o n cell viability (P < 0.01). The viability of cultures containing Tytin was significantly lower than cultures with Galley and the controls (P < 0.05). The viability of cultures containing Galley was significantly lower (P < 0 .05) than controls except for periosteal cells after 1 day. The culture med ia was analysed using atomic absorption spectrophotometry (AAS) for metal i on content. The results suggested that mercury (Hg) was the main element re leased from the dental amalgam followed by copper (Cu) and silver (Ag) whil st gallium (Ga) was the main element released from the gallium-based alloy followed by indium (In), Ag and Cu. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All righ ts reserved.