In vitro cytotoxicity assessment of the 3D printed polymer based epoxy resin intended for use in dentistry

Abstract

Background/Aim. There is limited published evidence on the cytotoxicity of 3D printed polymer materials for dentistry applications, despite that they are now being widely used in medicine. Stereolithography (SLA) is one of the foremost 3D processes used in 3D printing, yet there are only a small number of resin materials reported to be suitable for medical applications. The aim of this study was to investigate, in vitro, the cytotoxic effect of the 3D printed resin in order to establish the suitability for its usage in dentistry and related medical applications such as surgical dental guides, occlusal splits and orthodontic devices. Methods. To examine the cytotoxicity of the 3D printed polymer-based epoxy resin, Accura® ClearVue™ (3D-Systems, USA), two cell cultures were used: mouse fibroblasts L929 and human lung fibroblasts MRC-5. Cell viability was determined by Mosmann's colorimetric (MTT) test and the agar diffusion test (ADT). Results. Direct contact of the tested material with ADT test showed nontoxic effects of tested material in any cell culture. The tested material showed no cytotoxic effect after 3 days of extraction of the eluate by MTT test, but mild cytotoxic effect after 5, 7 and 21 days on both cell lines. The cytotoxicity increased with increasing the time of the eluate extraction. Conclusion. 3D printed polymer-based epoxy resin, Accura® ClearVue™ (3D-Systems, USA) is considered appropriate for making surgical dental implant guides according to the cytotoxic behavior. According to the mild level of cytotoxicity after the longer extraction periods, there is a need for further evaluation of biocompatibility for its application for occlusal splints and orthodontic devices. [Project of the Serbian Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development, Grant no. TR 35020: Research and development of modeling methods and approaches in manufacturing of dental recoveries with the application of modern technologies and computer aided systems]

Keywords

• cell culture techniques
• dental materials
• epoxy resin
• material testing
• printing, three-dimensional