In Vitro Cytotoxicity and Mineralization Potential of an Endodontic Bioceramic Material

Objective The interest in bioceramic materials has been steadily growing for different applications in endodontics. With the continued introduction of new bioceramic-based materials into the market, it is of great importance to assess the biocompatibility before providing recommendations on their clinical use. This study evaluated the in vitro cytotoxicity and mineralization potential of two consistencies of unset premixed bioceramic material (TotalFill BC RRM putty and TotalFill BC sealer) compared with an epoxy resin-based sealer (AH Plus) on osteoblast cells. Materials and Methods Overall, 100% extracts were obtained by weighing 0.1 g of each material in 1 mL of cell culture media. Primary human osteoblast (HOB) cells ( n = 4) were treated with different concentrations (100, 50, 25, 12.50, and 6.25%) of each extract. XTT assay and Alizarin Red S staining were used to evaluate the cytotoxic effect and the biomineralization potential, respectively. Statistical Analysis Data were analyzed by one-way analysis of variance followed by Tukey's post hoc tests. Results The cytotoxicity assay after 24 h treatment showed that all materials at high concentrations of the extract (100 and 50%) were toxic to HOB ( p < 0.001). On the contrary to TotalFill BC RRM Putty, AH Plus and TotalFill BC sealer were toxic at 25% concentration. However, at 12.5% concentration and lower, all materials were nontoxic. The mineralization potential analyzed after 7 and 14 days showed that TotalFill BC material–treated cells could deposit mineralized nodules in the normal and osteogenic medium unlike AH plus-treated cells. Conclusion At low concentrations, TotalFill BC materials showed higher biocompatibility to HOB cells than AH Plus, enhanced the viability of the cells, maintained their typical morphology, and induced the formation of mineralized nodules. Despite the encouraging data, clinical trials are needed to identify the effect of this material on the long-term outcome of endodontic treatment.