A comparative analysis of in-office vital 6% hydrogen peroxide activated charcoal tooth whitening treatment enhanced with an 810nm diode laser, compared to 35% hydrogen peroxide bleaching

Abstract

Laser dental bleaching is considered to be a contemporary approach to enhancing the in-office power bleaching procedure.

Objective

Investigate if laser enhanced 6% Hydrogen Peroxide (HP) solution is equivalent to 35% HP solution over a two-visit power bleaching treatment protocol. In a randomised double-blinded clinical trial, 43 patients were assigned to a group that received either the laser-enhanced 6% Hydrogen Peroxide (n=21) treatment, or the standard 35% Hydrogen Peroxide (n=22) treatment, over two visits, with a one-week interval. Activated charcoal HP paste was prepared for both groups. The laser enhanced 6% HP group received a dosage of 90 J/cm² per bleaching cycle using 810nm diode laser. Tooth colour was measured at the beginning and end of each session registering parameters L*, a* and b*, and tooth sensitivity. The calculated difference between these Parameters, ∆E, was the primary data focus. The mean ∆E over the treatment duration was used to answer the research question by a t-test to evaluate group differences at 5% significance level. The analysis revealed that the null hypothesis could not be rejected and the results were inconclusive. The observations expound the idea of an absorption enhancement mechanism, rather than a free radical activation, as the technique for improving bleaching outcomes.