A commercially available cell culture device modified for dentin barrier tests

The suitability of a dentin barrier test based on a commercially available cell culture chamber was evaluated by testing the cytotoxicity of dental cements, The two chambers of the culture device as produced are separated by a membrane. This was replaced by a bovine dentin disk (500 mu m thick), Mouse fibroblasts were grown on the ''pulpal'' side of the dentin for 24 h; test materials were then placed into the ''cavity'' side of the upper chamber, The number of viable cells was determined after 24 h, After exposure to zinc phosphate cement at a powder/liquid ratio of 2:1, similar to 100% of cells survived, A ratio of 1:1 yielded 81% survival, Only 24% and 28% of the cells survived after exposure to Ketac Fil and Ketac Silver, respectively, The light-curing glass ionomer cement (Vitrebond) and zinc oxide-eugenol killed all cells, These results agree with those obtained from a previous study, wherein the dentin barrier test device was constructed in our laboratory.