A clinical study comparing the efficacy of light activated in-surgery whitening versus in-surgery whitening without light activation

ObjectivesThis randomised controlled clinical trial assessed the efficacy of color change and sensitivity after in surgery whitening with and without light activation.MethodsTwenty two patients were randomly assigned to one of two different groups: Group A – in-surgery bleaching with light activated 25% hydrogen peroxide gel followed by 2 weeks at home, night time bleaching with 10% carbamide peroxide gel in a customised bleaching tray. Group B – in-surgery bleaching with 25% hydrogen peroxide without light activation followed by 2 weeks at home, night time bleaching with 10% carbamide peroxide gel in a customised bleaching tray. The efficacy of tooth whitening was assessed by determining the color change associated with the six maxillary anterior teeth. Sensitivity was self-assessed with the use of a visual analogue scale (VAS).ResultsOverall, there was no significant difference in shade change between the two groups immediately after the in surgery whitening phase, and at one or two weeks post in surgery treatment. With regard to sensitivity immediately following the in surgery whitening participants in Group B reported a significantly higher level of sensitivity in comparison to Group A (p = 0.03).ConclusionsThere was no significant difference between the shade improvements achieved by the two whitening protocols tested throughout the 2-week period of the study (p > 0.05). There was no statistical significant difference in sensitivity at the one and two week review periods, however, immediately after treatment participants in Group B reported a significantly higher level of sensitivity than participants in Group A (p = 0.03).