Superficial stains and irregularities of the enamel are generally what prompt patients to seek dental intervention to improve their smile. These stains or defects may be due to hypoplasia, amelogenesis imperfecta, mineralized white spots, or fluorosis, for which enamel microabrasion is primarily indicated. Enamel microabrasion involves the use of acidic and abrasive agents, such as with 37% phosphoric acid and pumice or 6% hydrochloric acid and silica, applied to the altered enamel surface with mechanical pressure from a rubber cup coupled to a rotatory mandrel of a low-rotation micromotor. If necessary, this treatment can be safely combined with bleaching for better esthetic results. Recent studies show that microabrasion is a conservative treatment when the enamel wear is minimal and clinically imperceptible. The most important factor contributing to the success of enamel microabrasion is the depth of the defect, as deeper, opaque stains, such as those resulting from hypoplasia, cannot be resolved with microabrasion, and require a restorative approach. Surface enamel alterations that result from microabrasion, such as roughness and microhardness, are easily restored by saliva. Clinical studies support the efficacy and longevity of this safe and minimally invasive treatment. The present article presents the clinical and scientific aspects concerning the microabrasion technique, and discusses the indications for and effects of the treatment, including recent works describing microscopic and clinical evaluations.

The long-term maintenance of the surface quality of materials is fundamental to improving the longevity of esthetic restorations. In this manner, the use of surface sealants could be an important step in the restorative procedure using resin-based materials.

Superficial irregularities and certain intrinsic stains on the dental enamel surfaces can be resolved by enamel microabrasion, however, treatment for such defects need to be confined to the outermost regions of the enamel surface. Dental bleaching and resin-based composite repair are also often useful for certain situations for tooth color corrections. This article presented and discussed the indications and limitations of enamel microabrasion treatment. Three case reports treated by enamel microabrasion were also presented after 11, 20 and 23 years of follow-ups.

Bleaching with either 10% carbamide peroxide or 35% hydrogen peroxide impairs the formation of the hybrid layer, resin tags, and bond strength. The use of sodium ascorbate following bleaching diminishes this adverse effect in the case of 10% carbamide peroxide but not so when 35% hydrogen peroxide is used as the bleaching agent. SUMMARYThe purpose of this study was to analyze the influence of 10% sodium ascorbate (SA) on the hybrid layer, resin tag length, and bond strength to dentin after bleaching. Six groups were tested: G C, control; G SA, sodium ascorbate (SA) + restoration; G CP, bleaching with carbamide peroxide (CP) + restoration; G CP+SA, bleaching with CP + SA+ restoration; G HP, bleaching with 35% hydrogen peroxide (HP) + restoration; and G HP+SA, HP + SA + restoration. After dental bleaching, the dentin was exposed and the antioxidant solution was applied to groups G SA, G CP+SA, and G HP+SA, before bonding procedures. The teeth were sectioned in the mesiodistal direction. One section was decalcified, and the specimens were embedded in paraffin and sectioned in the longitudinal direction with a thickness of 6 lm. Fifteen slices of each specimen were selected according to a systematic sample of slices with an interval proportional to the total number of slices obtained for each tooth. The specimens were stained using the Brown & Brenn method, and an optic microscope was used to analyze the hybrid layer thickness and resin tag length. The remaining tooth segment was sectioned into stick-shaped specimens and used for microtensile bond strength testing (0.5 mm/min). Statistical analysis was performed using two-way analysis of variance and Fisher test. The results for hybrid layer +

Abstract. Pigments of food and beverages could affect dental bleaching efficacy. The aim of this investigation was to evaluate color change and mineral loss of tooth enamel as well as the influence of staining solutions normally used by adolescent patients undergoing home bleaching. Initial hardness and baseline color were measured on enamel blocks. Specimens were divided into five groups (n ¼ 5): G1 (control) specimens were kept in artificial saliva throughout the experiment (3 weeks); G2 enamel was exposed to 10% carbamide peroxide for 6 h daily, and after this period, the teeth were cleaned and stored in artificial saliva until the next bleaching session; and G3, G4, and G5 received the same treatments as G2, but after bleaching, they were stored for 1 h in cola soft drink, melted chocolate, or red wine, respectively. Mineral loss was obtained by the percentage of hardness reduction, and color change was determined by the difference between the data obtained before and after treatments. Data were subjected to analysis of variance and Fisher's test (α ¼ 0.05). G3 and G5 showed higher mineral loss (92.96 AE 5.50 and 94.46 AE 1.00, respectively) compared to the other groups (p ≤ 0.05). G5 showed high-color change (9.34 AE 2.90), whereas G1 presented lower color change (2.22 AE 0.44) (p ≤ 0.05). Acidic drinks cause mineral loss of the enamel, which could modify the surface and reduce staining resistance after bleaching.

A combination of treatment methods are sometimes required for the best esthetic result. After orthodontic treatment, mechanical resin removal followed successively by enamel microabrasion and tooth bleaching can yield ideal long-lasting improvement.

The 35% hydrogen peroxide bleaching gel potentiated the structural and histomorphological changes induced by the accumulation of biofilm on the enamel surface. SUMMARYThis study evaluated the microhardness and histomorphology of bovine enamel when 35% hydrogen peroxide is used. A total of 44 specimens were adapted to removable devices used by 11 individuals subjected to dental caries challenge. A decrease in microhardness was observed for all groups after the cariogenic challenge. Microscopic analysis revealed that fragments subjected to cariogenic challenge associated with bleaching had more intense superficial histologic changes, but the depth of the lesions remained unchanged. It was concluded that 35% hydrogen peroxide enhanced the reduction in hardness and histomorphologic changes in the enamel surface exposed to cariogenic challenge.

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