Abstract
Background There is little data regarding the effect of tooth whitening on microhardness of white spot lesions. This study was conducted to investigate the effect of home-bleaching and laser-assisted in-office bleaching on microhardness of demineralized enamel. Material and Methods Forty bovine incisors were selected and immersed in a demineralizing solution for 12 weeks to induce white spot lesions. Enamel blocks were prepared and randomly assigned to two groups of 20 each. The first group underwent home bleaching with 15% carbamide peroxide which was applied for 8 hours a day over a period of 15 days. In the second group, in-office bleaching was performed by 40% hydrogen peroxide and powered by irradiation from an 810 nm gallium-aluminum-arsenide (GaAlAs) diode laser (CW, 2W). This process was performed for 3 sessions every seven days, in 15 days. The specimens were stored in Fusayama Meyer artificial saliva during the experiment. Surface microhardness was assessed before and after the bleaching therapies in both groups. Results Microhardness decreased significantly following both home bleaching and laser-assisted in-office bleaching (p<0.05). There were no significant differences in hardness values among the two groups either before (p=0.131) or after (p=0.182) the bleaching procedures. Conclusions Tooth whitening through home bleaching or laser-assisted in-office bleaching can result in a significant reduction in microhardness of white spot lesions. Therefore, it is suggested to take protective measures on bleached demineralized enamel. Key words:White spot lesion, bleaching, laser, microhardness, demineralized enamel, home bleaching, in-office bleaching.
Highlights
Bleaching is one of the most popular esthetic procedures in modern dentistry, aiming to give patients a more perfect appearance and esthetic smile
In-office bleaching is preferred in cases of severe discoloration in one or more teeth [2], as the treatment can be localized in the target area
The in-office bleaching process can be accelerated by the application of high-intensity light sources such as halogen curing lamps, plasma arc lamps, light-emitting diodes (LEDs) or lasers [2]
Summary
Bleaching is one of the most popular esthetic procedures in modern dentistry, aiming to give patients a more perfect appearance and esthetic smile. Regarding the high incidence of white spot lesions in these subjects, bleaching can be employed to eliminate the discolorations, and to improve the appearance of the dentition by masking the demineralized enamel [7,8], enhancing the esthetic outcome of orthodontic therapy. This study aimed to examine the effect of home-bleaching and laser-assisted in-office bleaching on microhardness of enamel white spot lesions. This study was conducted to investigate the effect of home-bleaching and laser-assisted in-office bleaching on microhardness of demineralized enamel. In-office bleaching was performed by 40% hydrogen peroxide and powered by irradiation from an 810 nm gallium-aluminum-arsenide (GaAlAs) diode laser (CW, 2W) This process was performed for 3 sessions every seven days, in 15 days. Conclusions: Tooth whitening through home bleaching or laser-assisted in-office bleaching can result in a significant reduction in microhardness of white spot lesions. It is suggested to take protective measures on bleached demineralized enamel
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