Does polishing of bleached enamel affect roughness and tooth color stability after exposure to coffee?

This laboratory randomized study was designed to evaluate the effect of polishing on roughness and color stability of bleached teeth after coffee immersion.

Ninety bovine crowns were randomly allocated to six groups (n = 15), according to bleaching protocols: At-home: standard protocol using 10% hydrogen peroxide (HP) or In-office: standard protocol using 35% HP; and with polishing protocols: (1) no polishing, (2) bleached enamel polished with #0.5 μm or (3) #2-4 μm diamond particles grit pastes. Samples were daily immersed into coffee solution for 45 min followed by mechanical brushing simulation (30 s) for 30 days. The surface roughness (Ra) and color alteration, expressed by ΔE_ab , ΔE₀₀ , and whitening index (WI) were analyzed at baseline, after bleaching/polishing protocols and after coffee solution staining. The surface from each group was examined using a scanning electron microscope. Data were analyzed by two-way repeated measure analysis of variance followed by the Tukey test (α = 0.05).

Staining increases Ra, ΔE_ab , ΔE₀₀ , and decreases WI values. Polishing after bleaching did not prevent staining, however, tooth polished with #0.5 μ-grit polishing paste showed better performance than #2-4 μ-grit (ΔE_ab : p = 0.001/ΔE₀₀ : p = 0.003). Scanning electron microscope revealed a more irregular surface after coffee staining for all groups regardless bleaching/polishing protocols.

Using #0.5 μ-grit diamond paste to polish 35%HP in-office bleached enamel reduces the roughness and tooth staining. However, polishing after 10%HP at-home bleached enamel neither affects roughness nor improves tooth color stability after exposure to coffee.

Polishing after at-home bleaching does not have benefits but after 35% hydrogen peroxide in-office bleaching, the polishing with #0.5 μ-grit polishing paste is indicated to reduce roughness and the tooth staining over time.