Evaluation of the Color Change of the Laser and Chemical Vital Whitening Method in the Teeth

Tooth color; It is formed by the combination of enamel, dentin and pulp with different optical properties. Tooth coloring is divided into two as etiological, internal and external. External colorants can be removed simply by cleaning. Removal of intrinsic coloring is possible with chemical bleaching. In the treatment of tooth coloring, whitening is considered the least aggressive method.

Due to the increasing interest in aesthetics in recent years, patients' demands for teeth whitening have increased. Home-bleaching technique, developed by Haywood and Heymann in 1989, has been the most frequently used method until recently. In this method, the bleaching agent contains 10% hydrogen peroxide. For 2-5 weeks, whitening is performed by placing the gel in a plate by the patient every night. The advantages of this method are that it is easy to apply, low cost, use of lower rates of hydrogen peroxide, and less time spent in the clinic. However, the disadvantages are that the whitening process is not under the control of the physician, the patient does not apply the whitening gel regularly, and the procedure takes several weeks. Office-bleaching technique has been developed in order to make the bleaching process more controlled, to ensure color stability and to shorten the time. This technique, which contains a high concentration of (15-38%) hydrogen peroxide, is activated by heat or light sources. These sources include plasma arc, LED, UV lamps and laser. However, there is no consensus on the effectiveness of heat and light sources used in tooth whitening.

The light sources used during bleaching are expected to increase the effectiveness of the bleaching and shorten the processing time. Among these, plasma arc and diode lasers have a wide range of uses. Laser teeth whitening method has been applied for about 15 years and many laser devices have been recommended for this procedure. It is expected that the treatment time will decrease and the sensitivity that may occur in the teeth will decrease as a result of laser application. However, the superiority of laser bleaching compared to other methods is still controversial.

External root resorption and irritation in soft tissues can be observed during the teeth whitening, even if in a small amount. It is stated that the sensitivity of teeth after the procedure is the most common complication by some researchers, but disappears by itself after the end of the bleaching process.

The purpose of aesthetic applications in dentistry; morphological, optical and biological compatibility. Tooth color is one of the most important criteria of aesthetics. Clinically, two different methods are used in color selection. The first, visual method, includes evaluation with the naked eye. The second method is colorimeter, spectrophotometer etc. is the use of devices that measure color. During clinical applications, color selection of dental materials is done by using visual scales. Color selection by visual method is both subjective and difficult; it can also lead to inadequate results. During color selection, erroneous results may occur due to parameters such as ambient light, physician's experience and age, and eye fatigue.