Clinical efficiency of home whitening agents

Objectives: Vital tooth whitening, which can improve tooth color without grinding, is a recommended method from the viewpoint of minimal intervention. In this study, using 2types of home whitening agents, we evaluated the effects of whitening agents and the designing of custom tray and assortment of tooth.

Materials and Methods: The home whitening agents used were ²HiLite SHADE UP² (HSU) (SHOFU Co.) and ²NITE WHITE EXCEL² (NWE) (DISCUS DENTAL Co.). Both agents contained 10% carbamide peroxide. The subject were 6 patients in their 20s (n=3 in the HSU and NWE groups), the labial surface of six upper anterior tooth were treated. A custom tray with and without a reservoir was used on the right, and left sides, respectively. The whitening agent applied 2 hours per day for 14 days. Teeth colors before and after whitening were measured. Measurements of colors (L*, a*, b*) were made by color measuring apparatus ²Shade Eye NCC² (SHOFU Co.), and after calculating color differences, three-way ANOVA was performed.

Results: The color difference ΔEab* between before and after 14-day treatment were 4.65 in the HSU and 3.71 in the NWE groups. The whitening effects of HSU were marked, and the difference in effects between the HSU and NWE treatments was significant. However, there was no significant difference in whitening effects between the custom trays with and without a reservoir. The color difference was smallest in the central incisor (3.65), followed by the lateral incisor (4.37) and canine teeth (4.53), but the differences were not significant between these teeth.

Conclusions: In this study, the whitening effect of HSU was greater than that of NEW, but both whitening agents were found to be clinically safe and sufficiently effective.