Purpose:
To look at teeth 6 years after chemical bleaching to evaluate long term success.
Materials/Methods:
- n=20 anterior teeth, applied RD, lingual access, zinc phosphate cement to CEJ, cotton pellet soaked with H202, red hot ball burnisher placed 10x on cotton pellet
- access filled with sodium perborate and H202 mix, sealed with zinc phosphate cement
- repeated as needed, restored with composite
Results:
- Chemical bleaching has 45% success at 6 years
- It can usually give adequate color for sufficient time for gingival margin to re-stabilize in younger teeth
- Chemical bleaching not recommended as permanent treatment in adult teeth
- The more difficult it is to bleach a tooth, the more likely the tooth will become discolored in the future
Clinical Significance:
Chemical bleaching with heat is moderately effective; most teeth will re-discolor with time. Internal bleaching may be a better option for younger patients. This technique is not used or recommended anymore.