BackgroundBleaching procedures performed before restorative procedures, due to the oxygen released, affects the quality of bonding restorations. The application of an lower-concentrated antioxidant for one-hour or more can reversal the compromised bonding to bleached enamel, but it was not effective according to the bleaching concentrations applied. The aim of the present study was to evaluate simplified protocol of higher-concentrated sodium ascorbate (35%SA) in bond strength values of enamel bleached with 10%, 16%, 22% carbamide peroxide (CP) or 35% hydrogen peroxide (HP).Material and MethodsThree hundred and forty enamel surfaces of 85 human third molars were used, divided into 17 groups (n=20), according to the following groups: control = no bleaching and no ascorbic acid application; bleaching (CP10%, CP16%, CP22% at-home and HP 35% in-office) and 35%SA application (no application; 35%SA applied twice for 1-min each [SA2×1], twice for 5-min each [SA2×5] and; twice for 10-min each [SA2×10]). After that, adhesive was applied and composite cylinders were made with Filtek Z350 composite. Microshear test was performed in a universal testing machine. BS values were statistically evaluated using ANOVA and Tukey’s and Dunnet’s (against control) tests, with 5% level of significance.ResultsAll bleaching concentrations significantly decrease the enamel bond strength results when compared to control group (p<0.05). More concentrated PC (PC22% and PH35%) showed lower enamel bond strength results when compared to lower concentrated PC (PC10% and PC16%; p<0.05). A significant increase of the enamel bond strength results were only observed when SA2×5 and SA2×10 were applied (p<0.05).ConclusionsThe application of 35% sodium ascorbate for twice 5- and 10-min each was an efficient protocol to reverse the bond strength in bleached enamel at the same level as the no bleaching enamel, independently of the bleaching concentration used. Key words:Tooth bleaching, hydrogen peroxide, sodium ascorbate, bond strength.