Biocompatibility of materials used in restoration and endodontics

Dental materials may cause certain adverse effects, which besides their intended main function, are characteristic of a particular biomaterial but are unwanted. Most of the dental materials used in the oral cavity release some or the other substances which may enter the human body through different routes like salivation, inhalation or via the blood circulation. Substances that are released from the dental materials may cause reactions such as inflammation or necrosis in the adjacent tissues i.e oral mucosa, gingiva, pulp and the alveolar bone leading to local toxicity. Dental materials may result in damage to various tissues. Therefore a great variety of different test methods are applied to evaluate the risk of such damage to ensure material compatibility. Evaluation of the biocompatibility of dental materials is a complex and comprehensive area because unwanted tissue reactions may occur in a great variety of types. With the growing number of dental materials and treatment regimes the dentist should be upgraded with the biocompatibility characteristics of the same.