title: Effectiveness of home bleaching agents in discolored teeth and influence on enamel microhardness.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study evaluated the effectiveness of different home bleaching agents on color alteration and their influence on surface and subsurface microhardness of discolored bovine enamel.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-five fragments of bovine incisors were randomly allocated into 3 groups (n=15) according to the bleaching agent: 10% carbamide peroxide gel (CP10), 16% carbamide peroxide gel (CP16) and 6.5%-hydrogen-peroxide-based strip (HP6.5). Before bleaching treatment, initial values of Knoop surface microhardness and color (CIEL a b) were obtained and the fragments were artificially stained in hemolyzed rat blood. Then, bleaching treatments were performed over a 21-day period. Color changes (DeltaE) were assessed at 7, 14 and 21 days, and final surface microhardness reading was done after 21 days. Thereafter, the fragments were bisected to obtain subsurface microhardness. Data were subjected to ANOVA and Tukey's tests (alpha=5%).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Color changes produced by CP16 were similar to those of CP10, and the color changes produced by these materials were significantly superior to those produced by HP6.5. Color changes at 21 days were superior to 7 days and similar to 14 days. The time did not influence color changes for CP16, which showed similarity between the 14- and 21-day results. No statistically significant differences were found among the home bleaching agents for surface and subsurface microhardness.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Microhardness of bovine enamel was not affected by the bleaching agents. The 16% carbamide peroxide gel was the most effective for bleaching the stained substrate.
authors: Department of Restorative Dentistry, Ribeirão Preto Dental School, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil.
authors: Carina Sinclér
authors: CS
authors: Delfino
authors: Michelle Alexandra
authors: MA
authors: Chinelatti
authors: Laíse Daniela
authors: LD
authors: Carrasco-Guerisoli
authors: Andrigo Reis
authors: AR
authors: Batista
authors: Izabel Cristina
authors: IC
authors: Fröner
authors: Regina Guenka
authors: RG
authors: Palma-Dibb
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D003743:Dental Enamel; D006801:Humans; D012648:Self Care; D014073:Tooth Bleaching / Q000592:standards*