The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of prior microabrasion on the teeth color change and tooth bleaching effectiveness. Eight sound molars were mesiodistally sectioned and the halves were randomly allocated to receive enamel microabrasion or non-abrasion (control) in one of surfaces (buccal or lingual), while the remaining surface received the other treatment. The tooth color on baseline was evaluated by spectrophotometer (CieL*a*b system). After the microabrasion procedure, the tooth color was measured again. Following, the specimens were bleached with 35% hydrogen peroxide for two sessions with one-week interval. The color was re-evaluated 7 days after each section and 30 days after the second session. The effect of enamel microabrasion on color changes was evaluated by paired T-test. Deltas L*, a*, b*, and E were calculated and data submitted to 2-way repeated measure ANOVA followed by Tukey`s test. Paired T-test was also used to assess possible differences on the ultimate color achieved after tooth bleaching. Enamel microabrasion reduced the lightness and increased the redness of specimens. Specimens that received microabrasion presented higher values of ∆L* than control after each bleaching procedure; and higher ∆a* after the 2 nd bleaching session. However, the prior enamel microabrasion did not affect the ultimate values of color parameters. Despite enamel microabrasion have modified the tooth color, this procedure did not affect the ultimate results achieved with tooth bleaching using a high-concentrated hydrogen peroxide.

This study evaluated the effects of tooth bleaching with high-concentration of hydrogen peroxide on alterations of translucency parameter (TP) and color of dentin and enamel. The crown of five human molars was sectioned into four slices parallel to buccal surface. The dentin of external slices containing buccal/ lingual enamel was fully removed with diamond bur; while these slices were used to assess alterations on enamel. Alterations on dentin were assessed into the center of internal slices. The color of specimens was measured over white and black backgrounds using a spectrophotometer (CieL*a*b) at baseline, allowing to calculate the TP by difference between the color measured over each background. Specimens were submitted to three 15-min applications of 35% hydrogen peroxide followed by their storage in water for one-week. Afterwards, the color measurements were repeated at both backgrounds. Color (∆L, ∆a, ∆b and ∆E) and translucency (∆TP) changes were calculated and data individually analyzed by T-test (α = 0.05). Influence of hard tissue and assessment time on each color parameter was also analyzed by 2-way repeated measure ANOVA (α = 0.05). Tooth bleaching resulted in increased lightness for the enamel, whereas no alteration on this parameter occurred for dentin. No difference between the tooth hard tissues was observed regards the other color parameters and ∆E. A slightly reduction on TP was observed only for the enamel. In conclusion, 35% hydrogen peroxide caused similar color and translucency changes on dentin and enamel.

This study determined the reduction threshold in thickness of the dentin shade composite necessary to result in perceptible and acceptable color changes on simulated restorations. Three composite systems (Charisma Diamond, IPS Empress Direct, and Filtek Z350 XT) were evaluated using cylinder-shaped specimens built-up with dentin and enamel shades. The opacity of the composites was assessed using 1.0 mm thick specimens over black and white backgrounds. A baseline color was established for each system by combining 1.0 mm thick enamel shade with 3.0 mm of dentin shade cylinders over a dark background (n = 9). Then, the color changes (∆E 00 ) caused by sequential 0.1 mm reductions on dentin shade cylinders were calculated. Opacity changes on dentin shade cylinders and combined enamel-dentin pair cylinders were also assessed after each thickness reduction. Polynomial regression was performed with averages of ∆E 00 as a function of thickness of dentin shade cylinders; and acceptability (∆E = 1.77) and perceptibility (∆E = 0.81) thresholds were calculated. Linear regressions were also performed for ∆E 00 as function of opacity of dentin shade cylinders and combined enamel-dentin pair of cylinders. Except for Charisma, enamel shades presented the lowest opacity than dentin one. Perceptible and acceptable color changes were observed for dentin shade cylinders thinner than 2.0-2.4 mm and 1.1-1.4 mm, respectively, were used. No difference among the composite systems was observed. In conclusion, reductions on dentin shade composite lower than 0.6-mm did not yield perceptible color changes, and clinically significant color changes only were observed within reductions higher than 1.6-mm.