Cytotoxicity and release ions of endodontic sealers incorporated with a silver and vanadium base nanomaterial

The modification of endodontic sealers with nanoparticles to confer antimicrobial activity allow greater effect, with interaction at a molecular level. The nanostructured silver vanadate decorated with silver nanoparticles (AgVO3) is a nanomaterial unprecedented in dentistry for this application. This study incorporated the AgVO3 into three endodontic sealers of different compositions and evaluate the cytotoxicity and release of compounds. The groups of commercially available AH Plus, Sealer 26, and Endomethasone N and groups of the same sealers with incorporated AgVO3 (at concentrations 2.5, 5, 10%) were prepared, and extracts of the specimens were obtained for 24 h. The cell viability (cytotoxicity) of human gingival fibroblasts (HGF) was assessed after 24 h, 7 and 14 days. Silver (Ag+) and vanadium (V4+/V5+) ion release was quantified after 24 h by ICP-MS. Data were analyzed by Kruskal-Wallis and Dunn's post-hoc (alpha = 0.05). The cell viability was inversely proportional to treatment time. The Sealer 26 and Endomethasone N groups were cytotoxic for HGF cells, regardless of the incorporation of the AgVO3 (p > 0.05), and the incorporation reduced cell viability of AH Plus (p < 0.05). The release of ions was proportional to the concentration of AgVO3. AH Plus released more Ag+ ions, and Sealer 26 and Endomethasone N releases more V4+/V5+ ions. In conclusion, it was not possible to confirm the influence of AgVO3 on HGF cell viability to Sealer 26 and Endomethasone N, however, nanomaterial influenced cell-viability to AH Plus, so the commercial sealers can be cytotoxic in synergy with the nanomaterial. The release of Ag+ and V4+/V5+ was proportional to the AgVO3 incorporated.