DENTAL BLEACHING: CASE REPORTS THAT ACHIEVED AESTHETICS RESULTS IN
DENTISTRY WITH AT-HOME BLEACHING SYSTEMS
CLAREAMENTO DENTAL:
DESCRIÇÃO DE CASOS CLÍNICOS QUE OBTIVERAM SUCESSO ESTÉTICO APÓS O CLAREAMENTO
DENTAL CASEIRO
Cassoni A*, Toyoshima ER**, Leonetti ES***, Albino LGB****
ABSTRACT: Dental bleaching offers a conservative, simplified, and low cost approach to change the
color of discoloured teeth. Current bleaching techniques include a dentist-prescribed in-office technique, an at-home applied technique,
or a combination of both. The pigments oxidation is responsible for tooth
bleaching and can be carried out with two different products; carbamide
peroxide and hydrogen peroxide. Usually the protocols for at-home bleaching
include custom trays use and bleaching agents in lower concentrations.
Carbamide peroxide is currently found in low concentrations for at-home
technique and high concentrations for in-office technique are available. On the
other hand, hydrogen peroxide was typically indicated in high concentrations
for in-office bleaching but nowadays is available in low concentrations for
at-home protocols. This paper describes clinical cases performed with bleaching
systems and different techniques by the use of hydrogen and carbamide peroxide
bleaching agents available in the market. The at-home
vital bleaching was effective with
10% carbamide peroxide or with 6.5% hydrogen peroxide in polyethylene
strips.
KEYWORDS: At-home bleaching. Dental bleaching. Carbamide peroxide. Hydrogen
peroxide.
RESUMO: O clareamento dental oferece uma
alternativa conservadora, simples e de baixo custo para melhorar e estética de
pacientes com dentes escurecidos. As técnicas clareadoras consistem no
tratamento em consultório, caseiro ou uma combinação de ambas. A reação de
oxidação dos pigmentos pode ser obtida com a utilização do peróxido de
hidrogênio ou de carbamida. O clareamento caseiro envolve o uso de moldeiras
individuais e de baixas concentrações de agentes clareadores em baixas
concentrações. O peróxido de carbamida é utilizado em baixas concentrações para
o clareamento caseiro e em altas concentrações par o clareamento de
consultório. Por outro lado, o peróxido de hidrogênio era somente indicado em
altas concentrações para o clareamento de consultório porém atualmente também
esta sendo utilizado em concentrações menores para o clareamento caseiro. Este
trabalho descreve casos clínicos realizados com sistemas clareadores caseiros
que empregam diferentes técnicas e agentes clareadores, o peróxido de carbamida
e o de hidrogênio. O clareamento dental foi efetivo com o uso do peróxido de
carbamida 10% em moldeira ou com o peróxido de hidrogênio 6.5% impregnado em
fitas de polietileno.
PALAVRAS-CHAVE: Clareamento caseiro. Clareamento
de dente. Peróxido de carbamida. Peróxido de hidrogênio.
INTRODUCTION
The dental
professional must consider aesthetics and it is especially important when the
patients have an increased interest to have perfect teeth and smile. The
“bleaching” or “whitening” of teeth has an important role in this context.
Christensen said that bleaching is a service aimed at improving patient
appearance and self-esteem and has received unprecedented public interest and
acceptance.1 Discolored teeth are linked to oral diseases and
patients desire white teeth.
McGrath et al2
affirmed that within the past decade there has been an enormous increase in the
availability and use of tooth whitening products among the public. There are
several bleaching techniques available: at-home dental bleaching performed with
custom trays, supervised by dentists, which contain 5.5-7.5% hydrogen peroxide
or 10-20% carbamide peroxide; commercially available home bleach systems using
standard trays, which contains up to 6% hydrogen peroxide and 10% carbamide
peroxide; plastic strips systems as Crest Whitestrips which contains 5.5-10%
hydrogen peroxide; in-office bleaching also known as power bleaching, which
contain 30-38% hydrogen peroxide or 35% carbamide peroxide (either alone or
activated by heat or light); toothpastes with low concentrations of hydrogen
peroxide or calcium peroxide; and also over-the-counter products with several
delivery options, including custom-fit mouth trays, paint-on products, and film
technologies1,3,4.
Mass marketed
products typically contain low levels of whitening agent (ranging 3-6% hydrogen
peroxide) and it is self-applied to the teeth via gum shields, strips or
paint-on product formats and require twice per day application for up to 2
weeks5. A recent study performed with a prototype
bleaching strip containing hydrogen peroxide gel at 13% and 16% concentrations
shows a tendency of higher bleaching effect with higher concentration levels6.
Actually tooth
whiteners systems can be tailored to fit the individual needs of the consumer.
The most common and popular bleaching agent is carbamide peroxide, which,
concentrated at 10%, releases 3.5% hydrogen peroxide used in tray. However, the
disadvantages of the tray method are as follows: requires impressions and
trays; may take 2-4 weeks; compliance is a problem and; not user friendly.
This paper describes
two clinical cases that achieved aesthetics results of whitening tooth,
focusing in the upper incisives and upper canines color weekly recording (7;
14, and 21days of treatment) including a post-treatment monitoration (7 and 14
days post-treatment).
CASE
REPORT
Case 1: at-home vital bleaching with 10% carbamide
peroxide (Whiteness Perfect)
A
21-year-old man reported to our clinic to bleach his teeth. The incisives were
classified as B3 according to Vita scale (Zahnfabrik H. Rauter GmbH & Co. KG,
Germany) and canines as A3.5 (Figure13). This
discoloration could be easily removed, and an at-home bleaching with 10%
carbamide peroxide was proposed and accepted by the patient.
Alginate
impressions and study models were made. Each labial surface of tooth of model
was blocked out to create a reservoir to bleaching gel, and a custom tray was
vacuum formed. The tray was trimmed to minimize tissue contact and fitted to
ensure patient comfort and eliminate any contact of the bleaching gel with the
gingival tissue that might result in tissue irritation11.
In
the second appointment with the patient, the tray was positioned in the
patient’s mouth and tissue adaptation, retention, and occlusion were checked.
The patient was instructed to apply the bleaching
material in one drop per tooth of 10% carbamide peroxide (Colgate Platinum
Overnight – Colgate, Colgate Palmolive Ind. Com., Brazil) to the tray and insert each night at bedtime
after brushing and flossing the teeth. The patient was
advised to remove the excess of gel. One arch was treated at a time to preserve
the opposing arch as a standard for latter color comparison.
The
change in color was weekly monitored as described by Kugel et al7 with a Vita scale until the desired level of color change was
obtained. The same specialist in Operative Dentistry always evaluated
the color according its brightness (Table 1).
Table 1: Vita shade tabs aligned
according to brightness as recommended by the manufacture:
|
B1 |
A1 |
B2 |
D2 |
A2 |
C1 |
C2 |
D4 |
A3 |
D3 |
B3 |
A3,5 |
B4 |
C3 |
A4 |
C4 |
|
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
9 |
10 |
11 |
12 |
13 |
14 |
15 |
16 |
Light Ü to Þ Dark
After 7 days of treatment, the color of incisives was
classified as D2 and canines as C1 according to Vita scale; the upper arch had a visible contrast as reference to inferior (Figure
2). After 14 days of treatment, the incisives and canines color were
classified as A1 (Figure 3), and after 21 days of treatment both incisives and
canines were classified as B1 (Figure 4). After this period the treatment was
considered complete for the upper arch. New evaluations were carried out 7 days
post-treatment (Figure 5) and 14 post-treatment and the incisives color were
classified as B1 and the canines B2 (Figure 6). After another 21 days period of
bleaching at the inferior arch the treatment was considered complete and the
results were satisfactory.
Figure 1 – Initial, Incisives: B3
and Canines: A3.5.
Figure 2 – 7 days of treatment with carbamide
peroxide 10%, Incisives: D2 and Canines: C1.
Figure 3 – 14 days of treatment with carbamide
peroxide 10%, Incisives: A1 and Canines: A1.
Figure 4 – 21 days of treatment with carbamide
peroxide 10%, Incisives: B1 and Canines: B1.
Figure 5 – 7 days post-treatment with carbamide
peroxide 10%, Incisives: B1 and Canines: B1.
Figure 6 – 14 days post-treatment with carbamide
peroxide 10%, Incisives: B1 and Canines: B2.
Case 2: Whitestrips bleaching with 6.5% hydrogen peroxide
(Crest)
A
24-year-old man reported to our clinic with a desire for bleach his teeth. The
upper incisives were classified as A3.5 according to Vita scale (Figure7) and
canines were classified as A4. Whitestrips bleaching with 6.5% hydrogen
peroxide was proposed and accepted by the patient. The plastic strips of the
system (Crest White Strips, Proctor and
Gamble Inc., Cincinnati, USA) were worn 30 minutes twice daily (morning and night) on the six maxillary anterior teeth. One arch was treated at a time to preserve the opposing arch as a
standard for latter color comparison.
The change in color was weekly monitored until the
desired level of color change was obtained. After 7 days of treatment, it was
considered that bleaching was achieved and the incisives were classified as C1
and canines as D4 according to Vita scale, the
upper arch had a visible contrast as reference and was bleached (Figure 8).
After 14
days of treatment, the incisives and canines color was classified as D2 (Figure
9), and after 21 days of treatment the incisives and canines color was
classified as A1 according to Vita scale (Figure 10). After this period the
treatment was considered complete for the upper arch. New evaluations were
carried out 7 days post-treatment (Figure 11) and 14 post-treatment. The
incisives color was classified as A1 and canines as A2 (Figure 12). After three
weeks of bleaching at the inferior arch the treatment was considered complete
and the final result was considered satisfactory.
Figure 7 – Initial: Incisives: A3.5 and Canines: A4.
Figure 8 – 7 days of treatment with polyethylene
strip with 6.5% hydrogen peroxide, Incisives: C1 and Canines: D4.
Figure 9 – 14 days of treatment with polyethylene
strip with 6.5% hydrogen peroxide, Incisives: D2 and Canines D2
Figure 10 – 21 days of treatment with polyethylene
strip with 6.5% hydrogen peroxide, Incisives: A1 and Canines: A1.
Figure 11 – 7 days post-treatment with polyethylene
strip with 6.5% hydrogen peroxide, Incisives: A1 and Canines: A1.
Figure 12 – 14 days post-treatment with polyethylene
strip with 6.5% hydrogen peroxide, Incisives: A1 and Canines: A2.
DISCUSSION
Color
is described as three-dimensional entity of value, hue, and croma. Hue refers
to actual color of the object, chroma refers to its saturation (intensity or
strength), and value is associated with brightness8. Chroma is the degree of colour
saturation and describes the strength, intensity or vividness of a colour9.
Observed tooth color change is dependent on bleaching time, the initial
tooth color, the specific tooth region, or the type of tooth being bleached8.
Joiner said that hue
is the attribute of a color that enables one to distinguish between families of
different color, for example, red, blue and green. Value indicates the
lightness of a color ranging from pure black to pure white9.
Joiner et al5
in a recent review of literature about bleaching of teeth affirmed that
in-office bleaching uses higher levels of bleaching agent for shorter time
periods. In this particular case soft tissues must be protected and the
peroxide may be further activated by heat or light.
Myers et al10
affirmed that the effectiveness of bleaching with 10% carbamide peroxide to
produce a change in color is widely accepted. Their study concluded that the
mean shade change of the active group at 2 weeks was 4.20 Vita shade tabs. The
lightening effect was effectively maintained for 6 months10. Also,
Alonso de la Pena & Balboa Cabrita11 compared the clinical
efficacy and safety of 10% carbamide peroxide and 3.5% hydrogen peroxide in
at-home bleaching gels. They concluded that there were no differences in degree
of bleaching.
In the present clinical case
report, patients had at least 10 vita scale tabs change from a dark tab to a
lighter tab. It can also be observed that the most notable shade lightening was
achieved mainly in the first week of treatment. However, the one week use is
effective by ADA Guidelines that considered effective more than 2 shade tabs
change12.
The
choice for the at-home technique was based on its advantages obtaining by the
high frequent use of a bleaching agent in low concentration. This use
guarantees a more safe, fast, and effective treatment than in-office power
bleaching technique. Jones et al demonstrated that the in-office bleaching
technique protocol produced significant fewer desirable color changes than did two
at-home bleaching protocols8.
By
the other side, the at-home and in-office techniques may be used in association
to obtain faster results as showed by Deliperi et al13 that compared
a combined in-office (35 and 38% hydrogen peroxide) and at-home bleaching
system (10% hydrogen peroxide). The hydrogen peroxide was applied during 30
minutes and the at-home protocol was performed during 60 minutes and it was
repeated three consecutives days and an average shade rebound of two shades was
recorded after one week.
No clinical
differences were observed by the use a custom tray system or a plastic strip
system for bleaching agent delivery. Donly
et al reported significant whitening by polyethylene strips with 6.5%
and 10% hydrogen peroxide gel and they were well-tolerated with adverse effects
mild in severity14. Luo et al15 found
differences in the colour parameters and whiteness indices over the 2 week
period that subjects used tooth whitening product of a strip coated with a gel
containing 6% hydrogen peroxide on the facial surface of the anterior upper
teeth. Microscopically, Duschner et al reported that bleaching treatment
performed by polyethylene strips with 6% and 6.5% hydrogen peroxide gel does
not produce changes in enamel surface16.
Donly
et al compared 10%
polyethylene strips with 10% carbamide peroxide tray system. There were no
significant differences between the two groups in any color parameters, both whitening systems were well tolerated, and most adverse events were
mild in severity.17
Gerlach et al18 evaluated
the response of whitening strips to a low carbamide peroxide and potassium
nitrate bleaching gel. Both treatments yielded a
statistically significant whitening benefit with respect to reduction in
yellowness and improvements in other color endpoints. Tooth sensitivity was
reported by 13% of subjects using the hydrogen peroxide strips, compared to 22%
of subjects using the carbamide peroxide potassium nitrate tray system. Shahidi et al19 compared
the clinical response of 10% hydrogen peroxide whitening strips (one week of treatment) and 6% hydrogen peroxide strip (two weeks of
treatment). They concluded that both treatments were effective.
In addition, it
should be emphasized that patients in present study showed an effective result
by at-home bleaching technique with the classical at-home bleaching technique
with a custom tray or with plastic strips with any clinical side effects.
Microscopically, some
authors4,20,21,22 pointed out controversial results in the effects
of bleaching treatment on enamel surface but clinically bleaching technique is
still the most conservative treatment to discolored teeth compared to facets
and crowns.
By the results
observed in the clinical report and supported by literature review it must be
emphasized that if clinicians need to indicate dental bleaching, it would be
prudent to use a system as efficacious as possible to achieve the patient
expectations, however, with minimal side effects. So, clinicians need to
consider that at-home bleaching technique is one of the best choices to obtain
an effective result.
CONCLUSIONS
Nowadays
tooth bleaching has grown in importance because of a growing interest of the
patients and consumers of whitening products. The general practitioner must
understand the differences of current available techniques (supervised
nightguard bleaching, in-office bleaching and mass market products); the whitening
solutions (carbamide and hydrogen peroxide) and its different concentration.
The use of at-home systems is effective, easy, and safe and achieves effective
results.
DISCLAIMER
The authors do not have personal interest in any commercial brand cited
in this article.
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