Do Different Tooth Bleaching-Remineralizing Regimens Affect the Bleaching Effectiveness and Enamel Microhardness In Vitro?

Objective

Tooth bleaching may negatively affect the enamel surface properties, such as reduction in hardness values, and remineralizing agents can reverse these effects. This study evaluated the effect of remineralizing agents before, during, and after the bleaching process on enamel's whitening effectiveness and microhardness.

Methods and Materials

The initial color of 104 bovine incisors after immersion in tea solution was recorded, and then, the teeth were randomly divided into eight groups (n = 13). Group 1 (NC) was considered the control with no treatment, and Group 2 (B) was bleached with 40% hydrogen peroxide gel. The 3% fluorohydroxyapatite (FHA) and 2% sodium fluoride (NaF) were applied before (FHA/B, NaF/B), during (FHA + B, NaF + B) and after (B/FHA, B/NaF) the bleaching process in other groups. The final color and microhardness in three depths of 20-30, 50-60, and 100-120 µm were measured. Data were analyzed using Shapiro-Wilk, one-way ANOVA, Tukey, Games Howell, repeated measurement, and LSD tests.

Results

The FHA + B presented the lowest ΔE, significantly lower than other groups, except B/FHA. The ΔE in B/FHA was significantly lower than B/NaF. The bleaching significantly reduced the enamel hardness in three depths. The highest microhardness values were reported for B/NaF and NaF + B, which have no noticeable difference with NC, while FHA/B showed the lowest hardness in three depths, which was significantly lower than NC.

Conclusion

The application of NaF before, during, and after the bleaching improved the microhardness of bleached enamel as the unbleached one with no adverse effect on whitening effectiveness.

Remineralization effects of Er,Cr:YSGG and/or bioactive glass on human enamel after radiotherapy-an in vitro study

The aim was to evaluate the effects of Er,Cr:YSGG and/or bioactive glass 45S5 (BG) on the chemical and physical properties of enamel after radiotherapy. Third molar crowns were cut in half (buccal-lingually), and the mid part of the labial/oral surface was subjected to different protocols. All samples were treated with standard 70 Gy. After radiotherapy, enamel was treated with either Er,Cr:YSGG (2780 nm; pulse 60 μs) and BG or only BG, and control samples were kept in deionized water. Vickers microhardness, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and characteristic X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) were performed before, after radiotherapy, and after treatment. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used. A significant drop in enamel microhardness was observed after radiotherapy (p < 0.001). After Er,Cr:YSGG and BG or BG alone, there was a significant increase in microhardness (p < 0.001), which was on average significantly higher compared to the initial measurements for Er,Cr:YSGG with BG (p < 0.001), but not observed in BG alone (p = 0.331). After radiotherapy, SEM showed increased surface roughness with eroded prisms. Er,Cr:YSGG and BG or BG alone both showed disorderly packed glass particles on the enamel surface. Radiotherapy noticeably reduced the concentrations of calcium and phosphorus. Er,Cr:YSGG and BG treatment increased the concentrations of calcium, sodium, phosphorus, and silicate. BG treatment alone increased the concetration of calcium and phosphorus. Directly induced radiotherapy led to potential damage of enamel, but afterwards treatment with Er,Cr:YSGG laser and BG resulted in a higher increase of enamel microhardness compared to BG alone, reflecting in a possible better remineralization effect.

Comparison of the Effect of Agitation on Whitening and Tooth Sensitivity of In-Office Bleaching: A Randomized Clinical Trial

OBJECTIVE

This single-blind, split-mouth, randomized trial was aimed at evaluating the bleaching efficacy (BE) and tooth sensitivity (TS) of a 20% hydrogen peroxide (HP) bleaching agent used under active or passive application.

METHODS AND MATERIALS

Twenty-two patients with canines darker than C2 were selected. Teeth were bleached in two sessions, with a one-week interval between treatments. The bleaching agent was applied using active (HPactive) or passive (HPpassive) application. Each tooth in the HPactive-allocated hemiarch received bleaching gel with sonic activation after 10 and 30 minutes from the start of treatment, with rounded movements all over the buccal surface. The color changes were evaluated by subjective (Vita Classical and Vita Bleachedguide) and objective (VITA Easyshade Spectrophotometer) methods at baseline and 30 days after the second session. TS was recorded up to 48 hours after treatment using a 0-10 visual analog scale. Color change in shade guide units (SGUs) and ΔE was analyzed using a Wilcoxon test (α=0.05). The absolute risk and intensity of TS were evaluated using McNemar test and a Wilcoxon test, respectively (α=0.05).

RESULTS

Significant whitening was observed in both groups after 30 days of clinical evaluation. The activation did not significantly influence BE (ΔSGU HPpassive=5.6 and HPActive=5.8; p=0.98; and ΔE HPpassive=10.6 and HPactive=10.3; p=0.83). Absolute risk of TS (HPactive=36.4% and HPpassive=31.8%; p=0.94) was similar for both groups (Fisher exact test). TS intensity (visual analogue scale) was higher during the bleaching sessions and up to 24 hours thereafter for both groups, with no differences between groups (twoway analysis of variance and Tukey).

CONCLUSION

The active application of a 20% HP gel did not improve BE and TS.

Effects of Bioactive Agents on Dentin Mineralization Kinetics After Dentin Bleaching

Objectives:

This study evaluated effects of Bioglass 45S5 (BG) and Biosilicate (BS) remineralization on the chemical composition and bond strength of control dentin (CD) and bleached dentin (BD) surfaces.

Methods and Materials:

Dentin bleaching treatment was performed using the walking bleaching technique with 0.01 g of sodium perborate and 0.5 mL of 3% hydrogen peroxide for 14 days. Remineralization treatment was carried out by rubbing a remineralization solution (0.015 g of BG or BS diluted in 1.35 mL of distilled water) on the etched dentin surface for 30 seconds. Micro-Raman spectroscopy (MRS) was used to quantitatively analyze the mineral matrix ratios of CD and BD (n=5) after remineralization treatment with BG and BS over 15 days of incubation in artificial saliva. The CD and BD discs (n=10) with and without remineralization treatment with BG and BS were restored using a two-step etch-and-rinse adhesive system (Optibond S, Kerr) and five layers of 1-mm-thick composite resin (Filtek Z250, 3M ESPE). The restored dentin discs were sectioned into nine bonded beams with cross-sectional areas of approximately 0.9 mm2 and tested for microtensile bond strength (μTBS). The dentin surface of one fractured beam per tooth was submitted to MRS to characterize the physicochemical composition (n=10) at the interface. The data were analyzed using one-way analysis of variance and the Tukey-Kramer post hoc test (p&lt;0.005).

Results:

MRS bioactive analyses revealed that both BG and BS promoted increased mineral matrix ratios in the CD and BD. Significantly higher μTBS values were found after CD treatment with BG (CD: 57 MPa±11; CD-BG: 78 MPa±15) and when BG and BS were applied to the BD (BD: 42 MPa±5; BD-BG: 71 MPa±14; BD-BS: 64 MPa±11) (p&lt;0.005). The MRS analysis of the fractured dentin beam showed that the remineralization treatment significantly increased the dentin relative mineral concentration and promoted the appearance of new interface peaks, indicating a chemical interaction (p&lt;0.005).

Conclusion:

Remineralization of BD is an effective therapy to restore damage caused by dentin bleaching and acid conditioning. This approach not only increases dentin mineral compounds but also improves dentin's ability to interact chemically with the adhesive system.

Clinical, double blind, randomized controlled trial of experimental adhesive protocols in caries-affected dentin

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the clinical performance of posterior resin composite restorations regarding experimental and regular adhesive protocols in caries affected-dentin (CAD).

MATERIAL AND METHODS

A total of 92 class I and class II cavities with carious lesions were selected and randomly assigned to the following groups: (1) bioactive glass-ceramic powder/two-step etch and rinse system, (2) control/two-step etch and rinse system, (3) bioactive glass-ceramic powder/two-step self-etching system, and (4) control/two-step self-etching system. Two operators carried out the adhesive protocols and restored the cavities with a nano-hybrid resin composite. Participants were followed up at 1 week and 6, 12, and 18 months for clinical evaluation performed by two blinded examiners and calibrated according to FDI criteria. Data were analyzed using Kruskal-Wallis and Dunn tests with a confidence of 95%.

RESULTS

The clinical performance of resin composite restoration was not affected by the experimental use of an adhesive protocol including a bioactive glass-ceramic powder for 18 months post-procedure. However, there was a significant difference between group 2 and group 4 (p < 0.05) for marginal adaptation (18 months). Group 2 was significantly different from group 3 (p < 0.05) for fracture of material/retention (18 months) and marginal adaptation (1 week); group 2 showed a better performance.

CONCLUSION

Adhesive protocols can alter the clinical performance of posterior restorations in terms of marginal adaptation and the fracture of material/retention in CAD.

CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE

Adhesive protocols may influence the success of resin composite restorations in CAD; this is important because failure can lead to caries, re-incidence, and/or clinical re-work.