Clinical trial of three 10% carbamide peroxide bleaching products. (1/104)

BACKGROUND: A profusion of commercial bleaching systems exists on the market today, but there are few clinical comparisons of these systems. METHODS: In this study, three different commercial 10% carbamide peroxide bleaching systems were used by 24 patients in an overnight protocol for two weeks. Each patient used two of the bleaching products simultaneously in a side-by-side comparison. RESULTS: The mean onset of tooth whitening was 2.4 +/- 1.7 days. Tooth sensitivity was the most frequent side effect, as 64% of the patients reported tooth sensitivity occurring after 4.8 +/- 4.1 days and lasting for 5.0 +/- 3.8 days. Although intrapatient differences were recorded for the three commercial 10% carbamide peroxide bleaching systems by the patients, there were no statistical differences in the time of onset of subjective tooth whitening and the onset, frequency and duration of tooth sensitivity among the three commercial bleaching systems when compared pairwise or independently (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Selection of which bleaching product to use should be based on the concentration of the active ingredient, the viscosity of the product and other marketing features. Further research is needed to investigate the causes of tooth sensitivity and methods to reduce its severity and frequency.  (+info)

Intradermal irritation of dental bleaching agents in rats. (2/104)

AIM: To evaluate the irritative potential of three dental bleaching agents (hydrogen oxide, carbopol, and carbamide peroxide). METHODS: In rats, Evans blue (2.5%, 1 mL.L-1) was injected i.v. and later each test solution was injected intradermally on the back. After the concentration of the dye in the stained skin area was determined by spectrophotometric analysis. RESULTS: All the dental bleaching agents caused increase of vascular permeability and the intensity varied with the time. CONCLUSION: Dental bleach agents had a great potential for irritating soft tissues.  (+info)

The pH of tooth-whitening products. (3/104)

Tooth whitening products may be in contact with intraoral structures for several hours or they may be used daily to whiten the teeth. Consequently, these products should have a relatively neutral pH to minimize potential damage. This study measured the pH of 26 commercially available tooth-whitening products. The pH of the different whitening products ranged from 3.67 (highly acidic) to 11.13 (highly basic). The dentist-supervised home-bleaching products had a mean pH of 6.48 (range 5.66 to 7.35). The over-the-counter whitening products had a mean pH of 8.22 (range 5.09 to 11.13), and the whitening toothpastes had a mean pH of 6.83 (range 4.22 to 8.35). The 3 in-office bleaching products had a pH between 3.67 and 6.53. One-way ANOVA showed that there was a significant difference between the 4 product categories. The most basic pH of all the products tested was 11.13 for the whitening gel of Natural White-Rapid White. The most acidic pH of all products tested was 3.67 for Opalescence Xtra 35% hydrogen peroxide in-office bleach. The Least-Squares-Means test showed that the over-the-counter category had a pH significantly different from the other categories (p < 0.05).  (+info)

Enamel colour changes following whitening with 10 per cent carbamide peroxide: a comparison of orthodontically-bonded/debonded and untreated teeth. (4/104)

The purpose of this study was to determine if a colour difference exists between teeth that had orthodontic appliances bonded to and debonded from them and untreated controls subjected to whitening with 10 per cent carbamide peroxide. The sample consisted of 20 pairs of first and second premolars extracted for orthodontic reasons. The contralateral surfaces were divided into an experimental and control group. The experimental group underwent orthodontic bonding/debonding procedures. Both groups were subjected to 4 hour whitening and 20 hour hydration sessions for 30 days. The L*a*b* colour system was chosen to evaluate any colour change and these changes were calculated by determining the delta E from the L*a*b* values using a colorimeter. Colour change readings were taken before and after each 4 hour whitening. Additional readings were taken at 48 hour intervals for 30 days following the cessation of active whitening. The results were analysed using statistical (ANOVA) and graphical analyses (alpha = 0.05). A colour change difference of 2 CIELAB units was set as being clinically significant. A mean clinical colour difference was found for enamel surfaces subjected to orthodontic bonding/debonding of attachments relative to control sites after whitening. Bonding and debonding procedures resulted in a significant colour difference between orthodontic bonded and control sites at the end of the active period, which became insignificant at the end of the 30 day period of monitoring. Both the control and debonded sites responded to whitening; however, the control sites responded initially to a greater extent; the orthodontic debonded sites did not respond until after 2 weeks of continuous whitening. After the 2 week period the improved response of the debonded sites decreased the colour difference between the two groups.  (+info)

Dental enamel formation and its impact on clinical dentistry. (5/104)

The nature of tooth enamel is of inherent interest to dental professionals. The current-day clinical practice of dentistry involves the prevention of enamel demineralization, the promotion of enamel remineralization, the restoration of cavitated enamel where demineralization has become irreversible, the vital bleaching of dental enamel that has become discolored, and the diagnosis and treatment of developmental enamel malformations, which can be caused by environmental or genetic factors. On a daily basis, dental health providers make diagnostic and treatment decisions that are influenced by their understanding of tooth formation. A systemic condition during tooth development, such as high fever, can produce a pattern of enamel defects in the dentition. Knowing the timing of tooth development permits estimates about the timing of the disturbance. The process of enamel maturation continues following tooth eruption, so that erupted teeth can become less susceptible to decay over time. Mutations in the genes encoding enamel proteins lead to amelogenesis imperfecta, a collection of inherited diseases having enamel malformations as the predominant phenotype. Defects in the amelogenin gene cause X-linked amelogenesis imperfecta, and genes encoding other enamel proteins are candidates for autosomal forms. Here we review our current understanding of dental enamel formation, and relate this information to clinical circumstances where this understanding may be particularly relevant.  (+info)

The use of QLF to quantify in vitro whitening in a product testing model. (6/104)

BACKGROUND: Professional and consumer interest in whitening products continues to increase against a background of both increased oral health awareness and demand for cosmetic procedures. In the current legal climate, few dentists are providing 'in-office' whitening treatments, and thus many patients turn to home-use products. The most common of these are the whitening toothpastes. Researchers are keen to quantify the effectiveness of such products through clinically relevant trials. AIM: Previous studies examining whitening products have employed a variety of stained substrates to monitor stain removal. This study aimed to quantify the removal of stain from human enamel using a new device, quantitative light-induced fluorescence (QLF). The experimental design follows that of a product-testing model. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 11 previously extracted molar teeth were coated with transparent nail varnish leaving an exposed window of enamel. The sound, exposed enamel was subject to a staining regime of human saliva, chlorhexidine and tea. Each of the eleven teeth was subjected to serial exposures of a positive control (Bocasan), a negative control (water) and a test product (Yotuel toothpaste). Following each two-minute exposure QLF images of the teeth were taken (a total of 5 applications). Following completion of one test solution, the teeth were cleaned, re-stained and the procedure repeated with the next solution. QLF images were stored on a PC and analysed by a blinded single examiner. The deltaQ value at 5% threshold was reported. ANOVA and paired t-tests were used to analyse the data. RESULTS: The study confirmed the ability of QLF to longitudinally quantify stain reduction from human enamel. The reliability of the technique in relation to positive and negative test controls was proven. The positive control had a significantly (alpha = 0.05) higher stain removal efficacy than water (p = 0.023) and Yotuel (p = 0.046). Yotuel was more effective than water (p = 0.023). CONCLUSION: The research community, the practicing clinician and the consumer all require sound product evaluation data. The use of human enamel specimens may offer more relevant clinical data. QLF has been designed as an in vivo device. Further development of the technique should permit in vivo clinical whitening trials.  (+info)

Influence of 30% hydrogen peroxide bleaching on compomers in their surface modifications and thermal expansion. (7/104)

The surface modifications and the coefficient of thermal expansion of compomers after treatment with a 30% hydrogen peroxide bleaching agent were investigated. Three compomers (Compoglass F, Elan and F2000) were nonbleached and bleached for 1 and 3 days. The surface modification and the coefficient of thermal expansion of each bleached compomer were evaluated using a scanning electron microscope and a thermomechanical analyzer, respectively. As a result, Compoglass F and Elan showed slight surface degradation, whereas F2000 showed many cracks on its surface and these cracks were not observed in Compoglass F and Elan. Bleached Elan and F2000 has changed to the extent where their the coefficient of thermal expansion increased compared with those of nonbleached specimens. In addition, bleached compomers showed a strong inverse correlation between the coefficient of thermal expansion and the volume percent of filler.  (+info)

Tooth bleaching--a critical review of the biological aspects. (8/104)

Present tooth-bleaching techniques are based upon hydrogen peroxide as the active agent. It is applied directly, or produced in a chemical reaction from sodium perborate or carbamide peroxide. More than 90% immediate success has been reported for intracoronal bleaching of non-vital teeth, and in the period of 1-8 years' observation time, from 10 to 40% of the initially successfully treated teeth needed re-treatment. Cervical root resorption is a possible consequence of internal bleaching and is more frequently observed in teeth treated with the thermo-catalytic procedure. When the external tooth-bleaching technique is used, the first subjective change in tooth color may be observed after 2-4 nights of tooth bleaching, and more than 90% satisfactory results have been reported. Tooth sensitivity is a common side-effect of external tooth bleaching observed in 15%-78% of the patients, but clinical studies addressing the risk of other adverse effects are lacking. Direct contact with hydrogen peroxide induced genotoxic effects in bacteria and cultured cells, whereas the effect was reduced or abolished in the presence of metabolizing enzymes. Several tumor-promoting studies, including the hamster cheek pouch model, indicated that hydrogen peroxide might act as a promoter. Multiple exposures of hydrogen peroxide have resulted in localized effects on the gastric mucosa, decreased food consumption, reduced weight gain, and blood chemistry changes in mice and rats. Our risk assessment revealed that a sufficient safety level was not reached in certain clinical situations of external tooth bleaching, such as bleaching one tooth arch with 35% carbamide peroxide, using several applications per day of 22% carbamide peroxide, and bleaching both arches simultaneously with 22% carbamide peroxide. The recommendation is to avoid using concentrations higher than 10% carbamide peroxide when one performs external bleaching. We advocate a selective use of external tooth bleaching based on high ethical standards and professional judgment.  (+info)