title: Clinical and Spectrophotometric Evaluation of LED and Laser Activated Teeth Bleaching.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Auxiliary power sources (LED and laser) are used in in-office teeth bleaching techniques to accelerate the redox reaction of the whitening gel to increase ease of use, to improve comfort and safety, and to decrease the procedure time.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim this study is to evaluate the efficiency of the teeth whitening procedures performed with hydrogen peroxide and carbamide peroxide, LED or Laser activated.
  
  
  METHODS
  18 patients, affected by exogenous dyschromia, were treated with a bleaching agent composed by 35% hydrogen peroxide and 10% carbamide peroxide. They were divided into two groups: in the first group the bleaching agent was activated by a LED lamp; in the second group it was activated by a Laser diode lamp. Both groups were subjected to 3 bleaching cycle of 15' each. The chromatic evaluations were performed before and after one week from the treatment, using a chromatic scale and a spectrophotometer. The mean value of pre, post bleaching and follow-up were analyzed using a T-test, with results statistically significant for P<0,05.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Results showed that the variations in brightness, chroma and hue are significantly influenced by the interaction between the whitening agent and the original colour of the teeth. Laser-activation has marginally improved the bleaching effectiveness. All patients treated with laser activation complained an increase in dental sensitivity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The use of laser-activating systems did not improve the efficacy of bleaching.
authors.affiliation: Medical Sciences and Stomatology Department, School of Dentistry, University of Messina, Messina, Italy.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lo Giudice
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosciences, Reproductive and Odontostomatological Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pantaleo
authors.affiliation: Medical Sciences and Stomatology Department, School of Dentistry, University of Messina, Messina, Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lizio
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Sciences University Sapienza, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Romeo
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosciences, Reproductive and Odontostomatological Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Castiello
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosciences, Reproductive and Odontostomatological Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Spagnuolo
authors.affiliation: Medical Sciences and Stomatology Department, School of Dentistry, University of Messina, Messina, Italy.
authors.forename: G Lo
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Giudice
keywords: Anchorage; Bleaching; Carbamide peroxide; Hydrogen peroxide; LED; Laser; Spectrophotometer