Effect of Tooth-Whitening Procedures on Stained Composite Resins.

Area of Science:

• Dental Materials Science
• Aesthetic Dentistry
• Surface Chemistry

Background:

• Composite resins are widely used dental restorative materials.
• Extrinsic staining from common beverages like coffee and red wine can significantly alter the color of dental composites.
• Assessing the efficacy of various whitening protocols on stained composites is crucial for clinical practice.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the staining potential of coffee and red wine on composite resins over 14 days.
• To compare the effectiveness of four different whitening protocols in removing stains from composite resins.
• To determine which whitening treatment, if any, can restore composite color to clinically acceptable levels.

Main Methods:

• Composite resin samples were stained with coffee and red wine for 14 days, with color change measured using the ΔE_ab* scale.
• Four whitening treatments were applied: distilled water (control), Crest Pro-Health [HD] toothpaste, Crest Whitestrips, Opalescence PF bleach (15%), and pumice polishing.
• The color of the treated composites was measured to assess the degree of lightening compared to baseline and control groups.

Main Results:

• Both coffee and red wine caused significant and comparable levels of staining (ΔE_ab*≥2.7) on composite resins within 14 days.
• All tested whitening protocols demonstrated effectiveness in lightening the stained composites compared to the control (p<0.05).
• Opalescence PF bleach (15%) was the only treatment that returned the composite color to an acceptable level (ΔE_ab*<2.7) after staining.

Conclusions:

• Coffee and red wine are equally effective in staining composite resins to a clinically noticeable degree.
• While various at-home and in-office whitening treatments offer some color improvement, Opalescence PF bleach (15%) demonstrates superior efficacy in stain removal for composites.
• Clinical recommendations for managing extrinsic staining on composite restorations should consider the varying effectiveness of different whitening modalities.