Determination of leachable components from four commercial dental composites by gas and liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry.

OBJECTIVES The purpose of our study was to determine the quality and quantity of leachable residual (co)monomers and additives eluted from various commercial dental composite resins after polymerization. METHODS Polymerized specimens from four universal hybrid-type composite resins were eluted for 3 days with methanol resp, water. Then all extracts were analysed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry or liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry using a particle beam interface. RESULTS In all polymerized composite resin specimens, (co)monomers and various additives as well as contaminants from manufacturing processes were identified. Almost every compound detected in the unpolymerized resins could also be identified in the methanol extracts, but only a few of them were found in the water extracts. From these the co-monomer TEGDMA was extracted in quantities higher than those reported to be cytotoxic in primary human oral fibroblast cultures. CONCLUSIONS From our results we conclude that the extractable quantities of composite resin components should be minimized, either by reducing the mobility of leachable substances within the set material or by applying less water-soluble components. Furthermore, all ingredients of a dental composite should be declared by the manufacturers, in order to identify those substances in a product which may cause adverse side effects in patients and dental personnel.