Biocompatibility of dental alloys used in dental fixed prosthodontics

Many different types of alloys are now available in the market to be used for dental restorations and fixed prostheses. The common criterion for all these fixed prosthodontic materials is the permanent existence of them in the oral cavity for prolonged time without the ability to be removed by the patient. Therefore, knowledge about the biocompatibility of dental alloys is of great importance. This article presents a literature review on the biocompatibility of dental alloys. A PubMed database search was conducted for studies pertaining to the biocompatibility of dental alloys. The search was limited to peer-reviewed articles published in English between 1985 and 2013. Available data revealed that substances are released from alloys into the surrounding tissues; mainly nickel, zinc, and copper. Some alloys such as nickel–chromium alloy have shown to be cytotoxic in vitro. Also, elements released from gold alloy showed in vitro cytotoxic effect. Therefore, clinicians should give up assuming that gold alloy is completely inert and biocompatible with oral tissues. The clinical relevance of these findings remains unclear. Further in vitro studies, as well as controlled clinical trials, are needed due to possible exceptions.