Abstract
The objective of this in vitro study was to evaluate the effect of bleaching agents on the surface roughness and microhardness of a dental ceramic (porcelain). Thirty samples of dental ceramic, 2 mm thick and 6 mm in diameter, were prepared according to manufacturer's instructions, randomly divided into three groups of 10, and their initial baseline roughness and microhardness values recorded. Two groups were submitted to surface treatment with bleaching agents (GII, hydrogen peroxide 9.5%; and GIII, hydrogen peroxide 37.5%). The third group, GI, remained immersed in distilled water constituting the control group. GII group was exposed to the bleaching agent three hours a day for three weeks. As for the GIII group, the bleaching agent was applied three times a day, for eight minutes, during three weeks (once a week). After each exposure to the bleaching agent, the samples were washed and stored in distilled water. The roughness and microhardness data for the different ceramic specimens were collected at time intervals: initial (baseline) and every 3 weeks after bleaching agent applications. None of the bleaching treatments applied altered the roughness or the micro-hardness of the ceramic surfaces in any statistically significant way (p>0.05). Average roughness (Ra in μm) values registered were: for GI (0.084, 0.086, 0.078, 0,083); for GII (0.085, 0.085, 0.086, 0.080); and for GIII (0.079, 0.088, 0.083, 0.086). Average microhardness (VHN in kgf/mm2) values registered were: for GI (618, 589); for GII (573, 578); and for GIII (584, 600). It is concluded that the dental ceramic' surface properties (roughness and microhardness) were not altered by the bleaching treatments applied. Additional studies are necessary to understand and explain the effect of bleaching on dental ceramics.
Keywords:
ceramics; dental bleaching; bleaching