Date of Award

5-2003

Document Type

Thesis - Restricted

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Dentistry

First Advisor

Douglas Lobner

Second Advisor

Thomas Bradley

Third Advisor

Francisco Villalobos

Fourth Advisor

Anthony Iacopino

Abstract

While the toxicity of many dental materials has been thoroughly studied, the toxicity of orthodontic elastic materials has not been extensively tested, and their toxicity has not been tested on neurons·. In this study we evaluated the neurotoxicity in murine cerebral cortical cell cultures of three latex, and three non-latex, orthodontic elastics. Standardized pieces of each material were placed on culture well inserts, allowing the material to be exposed to the culture bathing media without causing physical disruption of the cells. Cell death was quantified by assaying release of the cytosolic enzyme lactate dehydrogenase (LDH). Exposure of cortical cultures to the non-latex elastics did not cause significant neuronal death, while exposure to each of the latex elastics resulted in significant neuronal death. The neuronal death induced by each of the latex elastics was blocked by addition of the metal chelator, EDT A ( ethylenediaminetetraacetate ). Since many latexes use zinc containing compounds as accelerators; it seems likely that the toxicity of latex elastics is mediated by zinc release. Since ingestion of zinc is not a health risk, the results suggest that the use of latex elastics in orthodontics is acceptable.

Fifth Advisor

Erwin Stier

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