Treatment Time Versus Patient's Satisfaction Using Different Bleaching Techniques

Objective: Evaluate objectively the efficacy and to determine the treatment time to achieve patient's satisfaction using different agents bleaching for at-home and in-office bleaching techniques. Methods: After IRB approval and informed consent, 30 subjects were selected based on the shade of the anterior teeth (between A2 and A3.5, Vita Classic shade guide). In-office [35% hydrogen peroxide, HPMAXX, FGM and a calcium-containing hydrogen peroxide, HPBLUE, FGM); and at-home bleaching agents [10% and 22% carbamide peroxide, Whiteness Perfect, FGM) were assigned in a split-mouth design performed in maxillary and mandibular arches of the same patient. In-office bleaching was performed in the maxillary quadrants applying PH35% (right) and PH35%Ca (left) for 40 minutes/week. Home bleaching was performed in mandibular quadrants using PC10% (right) and PC22% (left) 2h/day. Bleaching treatments were performed until patient's satisfaction [maximum 6 sessions (S) or 6 weeks (W), for in-office and at-home techniques, respectively]. Color measurements were carried out with a spectrophotometer (Vita Easyshade, Vident) before treatment, and at 2, 4, and last week for at-home bleaching; and one week after the 2nd, 4th and final sessions for in-office bleaching. Student's T and Tukey-Kramer tests were used (p<0.05). Results: All bleaching agents were effective for vital tooth bleaching. No significant differences were observed for color changes between PC10% and PC22% or between PC35% and PC35%Ca for all evaluation periods. Treatment time (number of patients) for in-office bleaching technique was 4S (12); 5S (10) e 6S (8) and for at-home bleaching technique was 4W(6) 5W(8) and 6W(16). Conclusion: Treatment time to achieve patient's satisfaction varied from 4 to 6 weeks regardless of the bleaching agent used in the at-home and in-office bleaching techniques.