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Surface and intra-pulpal temperature rises during tooth bleaching: an in vitro study
1Division of Restorative Dentistry, Department of Oral and Dental Science, University of Bristol Dental School.
Objective:
To measure the surface and intra-pulpal temperature increases in vitro on upper and lower anterior teeth during tooth whitening procedures.
Method:
A thermocouple was used to measure the temperature increase on the surface of an extracted upper central incisor tooth. Intra-pulpal temperature readings were made on upper and lower central incisors, lateral incisors and canines. Four lamps recommended for tooth bleaching were tested; a plasma arc lamp, a xenon-halogen lamp, a standard halogen lamp and a diode laser lamp. Temperature measurements were made with and without the bleaching agent present on the labial tooth surface.
Results:
The increase in surface temperature readings ranged from 0.44 degrees C (luma arch) to 86.3 degrees C (laser) with no bleaching gel present. Intra-pulpal temperature increases ranged from 0.30 degrees C to 15.96 degrees C. The presence of the bleaching gel reduced temperature increases seen at the tooth surface and within the pulp.
Conclusions:
The increase in the intrapulpal temperature with most bleaching lamps was below the critical threshold of a 5.50 degrees C increase thought to produce irreversible pulpal damage. The only lamp that produced an intrapulpal temperature increase above this threshold was the laser-based lamp and caution is advised when using this equipment.
