Effect of Ge/Si ratio on genotoxicity of germanium-containing glass ionomer cements

Glass ionomer cements have been discussed across broad and progressive applications from dentistry to orthopedics. However, in orthopedic applications, adverse patient outcomes that have been clinically linked to the release of aluminum from conventional alumino-silicate GICs, demonstrate a critical need for the development of new aluminum-free materials. Accordingly, the present study uses an Ames Screen to evaluate the preliminary genotoxicity profiles of a series of promising new germanium-containing, aluminum-free GICs. The results herein reveal that in addition to the already demonstrated superior handling characteristics and suitable mechanical strength, these cements are non-mutagenic to bacteria strains Salmonella typhimurium (TA98) and Escherichia coli (WP2uvrA). The results of this study provide strong positive evidence regarding the genotoxicity of these novel GICs, warranting further investigation into the biocompatibility of these materials for numerous in vivo applications.