Whitening techniques using the diode laser and halogen lamp in human devitalized primary teeth

Area of Science:

• Dentistry
• Endodontics
• Aesthetic Dentistry

Background:

• Traumatic injuries can cause discoloration in deciduous teeth, impacting aesthetics.
• Root canal treatment in deciduous teeth may lead to tooth darkening.
• Dental bleaching aims to restore the natural color of discolored teeth.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the in vivo effectiveness of two energy sources for activating a whitening agent in deciduous teeth.
• To assess the whitening efficacy of infrared diode laser versus halogen lamp activation.
• To evaluate color changes in traumatized, root canal-treated deciduous teeth after bleaching.

Main Methods:

• Ten discolored deciduous upper central incisors were selected.
• A 35% hydrogen peroxide whitening agent was applied.
• Teeth were divided into two groups: infrared diode laser activation and halogen lamp activation.
• Color analysis using the Vita 3D scale was performed before, immediately after, and one week post-whitening.

Main Results:

• No statistically significant difference in whitening effectiveness was observed between the infrared diode laser group and the halogen lamp group.
• Color changes were comparable between the two activation methods at all assessment points (immediately and one week post-treatment).
• The Kruskal-Wallace test indicated no significant variation between the groups.

Conclusions:

• Infrared diode laser activation is not more effective than halogen lamp activation for bleaching root canal-treated deciduous teeth.
• Both tested energy sources provide similar outcomes for dental bleaching in this specific clinical scenario.
• Further research may explore other activation methods or whitening agents for improved efficacy.