Abstract
Background: This study aimed to compare the cytotoxicity of base‐metal dental alloys and to evaluate if the casting method could influence their cytotoxicity. Methods: Disks of base‐metal dental alloys were cast by two methods: plasma, under argon atmosphere, injected by vacuum‐pressure; and oxygen‐gas flame, injected by centrifugation, except Ti‐6Al‐4V and commercially pure titanium (cpTi), cast only by plasma. SCC9 cells were cultured in culture media D‐MEM/Ham's F12 supplemented, at 37°C in a humidified atmosphere of 5% carbon dioxide and 95% air, on the previously prepared disks. At subconfluence in wells without disks (control), cell number and viability were evaluated. Results: In plasma method, cpTi and Ti‐6Al‐4V were similar to control and presented higher number of cells than all other alloys, followed by Ni‐Cr. In oxygen‐gas flame method, all alloys presented fewer cells than control. Ni‐Cr presented more cells than any other alloy, followed by Co‐Cr‐Mo‐W which presented more cells than Ni‐Cr‐Ti, Co‐Cr‐Mo, and Ni‐Cr‐Be. There were no significant differences between casting methods related to cell number. Cell viability was not affected by either chemical composition or casting methods. Conclusion: cpTi and Ti‐6Al‐4V were not cytotoxic while Ni‐Cr‐Be was the most cytotoxic among tested alloys. The casting method did not affect cytotoxicity of the alloys. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 2008