PURPOSE: This in vitro study evaluated the effect of home dental bleaching on oxygen release, shear bond strength to enamel, and microleakage of direct composite restorations. METHODS: Forty bovine incisors were used for oxygen dissolved titration by means of iodometric methods modified by azide iodine and 26 for the shear bond strength and microleakage tests. For titration the teeth were divided into four groups: T1 - bleached and titrated after 24 h; T2 - bleached and titrated after 48 h; T3 - unbleached and titrated after 24 h; T4 - unbleached and titrated after 48 h. T5 group served as control for the initial oxygen release rate. To analyze shear bond strength and microleakage, the teeth were randomly divided into two groups: CM1 - bleached; CM2 - unbleached. The bleaching agent Opalescence 15% (Ultradent, South Jordan, UT, USA) was applied for 8 h per day for three weeks. Z 250 (3M-ESPE, St. Paul, MN, USA) composite and Single Bond (3M-ESPE, St. Paul, MN, USA) adhesive were used for the composite restoration procedures. RESULTS: There was an increase in oxygen release during the first 24 h post bleaching (ANOVA, P=0.0001). The bleached teeth showed a decrease in shear bond strength (Student's t test, P=0.0001). The microleakage scores increased with bleaching independently from the examiner (Wilcoxon's test: 1. P=0.0003; 2 P=0.0023; 3. P=0.0029). CONCLUSION: Considerable variation was noticed in the results of oxygen release, as well as in the results of shear bond strength and microleakage on bleached teeth.
Bleaching; microleakage; shear; oxygen; carbamide peroxide; composite
