Titanium alloy and stainless steel (SS) had been widely used as dental implant materials because of their affinity with epithelial tissue and connective tissue, and good physical, chemical, biological, mechanical properties and processability. We compared the effects of titanium alloy and SS on macrophage cytokine expression as well as their biocompatibility. Mouse macrophage RAW264.7 cells were cultured on titanium alloy and SS surfaces. Cells were counted by scanning electron microscopy. A nitride oxide kit was used to detect released nitric oxide by macrophages on the different materials. An enzyme linked immunosorbent assay was used to detect monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 levels. Scanning electron microscopy revealed fewer macrophages on the surface of titanium alloy (48.2 ± 6.4 x 10(3) cells/cm(2)) than on SS (135 ± 7.3 x 10(3) cells/cm(2)). The nitric oxide content stimulated by titanium alloy was 22.5 mM, which was lower than that stimulated by SS (26.8 mM), but the difference was not statistically significant (P = 0.07). The level of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 released was significantly higher in the SS group (OD value = 0.128) than in the titanium alloy group (OD value = 0.081) (P = 0.024). The transforming growth factor-b1 mRNA expression levels in macrophages after stimulation by titanium alloy for 12 and 36 h were significantly higher than that after stimulation by SS (P = 0.31 and 0.25, respectively). Macrophages participate in the inflammatory response by regulating cytokines such as nitric oxide, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1, and transforming growth factor-b1. There were fewer macrophages and lower inflammation on the titanium alloy surface than on the SS surface. Titanium alloy materials exhibited better biological compatibility than did SS.