Abstract
In the investigation of the cytotoxicity of dental restorative and luting materials in vitro, use of a dentin substitute which exhibits properties similar to those of dentin is essential. In the present experiment, the permeability of various potential dentin substitutes to eugenol from zinc oxide eugenol cement was determined using ultraviolet spectroscopy and compared with the permeability of dentin slices and powder. The mean amount of eugenol that permeated dentin slices was 20 μg/ml. However, this amount showed large variations, while variations in dentin powder, purified collagen and agar gel were smaller. Further studies on the properties of dentin and kinds of dental materials are needed for clarification of in vitro investigation of dentin permeability. We discuss the search for alternatives to the biological substance, which has many shortcomings associated with its use.
