| Abstract: | Light-activated tooth bleaching with a high hydrogen peroxide (HP;
H2O2) concentration has risks and the actual role of the light
source is doubtful. The use of conventional light might result in an increase in the
temperature and cause thermal damage to the health of the tooth tissue.Objective:This study investigated the efficacy of tooth bleaching using non-thermal atmospheric
pressure plasma (NAPP) with 15% carbamide peroxide (CP;
CH6N2O3) including 5.4% HP, as compared with
conventional light sources. Material and Methods:Forty human teeth were randomly divided into four groups: Group I (CP+NAPP), Group II
(CP+plasma arc lamp; PAC), Group III (CP+diode laser), and Group IV (CP alone). Color
changes (ΔE ) of the tooth and tooth surface temperatures were
measured. Data were evaluated by one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and
post-hoc Tukey''s tests. Results:Group I showed the highest bleaching efficacy, with a ΔE value of
1.92-, 2.61 and 2.97-fold greater than those of Groups II, III and IV, respectively
(P<0.05). The tooth surface temperature was maintained around 37ºC in Group I, but it
reached 43ºC in Groups II and III. Conclusions:The NAPP has a greater capability for effective tooth bleaching than conventional
light sources with a low concentration of HP without causing thermal damage. Tooth
bleaching using NAPP can become a major technique for in-office bleaching in the near
future. |
