Effects of in-office and home bleaching gels on the surface mercury levels of dental amalgam.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of different in-office and home bleaching gels on the surface mercury levels of dental amalgam.


METHODS
Sixty disk-shaped amalgam specimens (GS-80, SDI- Australia) were prepared and randomly divided into the following treatment groups: 1. Distilled water (control); 2. 15% home-bleach carbamide peroxide (Opalescence PF, Ultra dent, USA) applied for 6 h/day for 3 weeks; and 3. 35% in-office bleach carbamide peroxide (Opalescence Quick, Ultradent) applied for 30 min/week for 3 weeks. Levels of mercury were measured as weight percentages using an energy dispersive x-ray micro-analyzer detector connected to an electron microscope. Data was analyzed using one-way ANOVA and a post hoc Tukey tests (P<.05).


RESULTS
There were no significant differences between the surface mercury levels measured following treatment with the tested home-bleach and in-office bleach products (P=0.71). However, both materials yielded significantly more mercury levels than that of the control group (P<.001).


CONCLUSIONS
The tested bleaching products significantly elevated the surface mercury levels of amalgam in vitro.
Oskoee
Parnian Alizadeh
PA
Associate Professor, Department of Operative Dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
Kahnamoui
Mahdi Abed
MA
Oskoee
Siavash Savadi
SS
Zadfattah
Firooz
F
Pournaghi-Azar
Fatemeh
F