A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF BLEACHED AND SOUND ENAMEL STRUCTURE THROUGH SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPY AND ATOMIC FORCE MICROSCOPY

Bleached And Sound Enamel Structure

Abstract

Objective: To analyze the effects of bleaching agent on enamel structure and to characterize the morphological and chemical changes in enamel due to bleaching.

Study Design: Experimental study.

Place and Duration of Study: School of Chemical and Material Engineering (SCME), NUST Islamabad from Feb to May 2013.

Materials and Methods: Ten recently extracted pre molars between the 12-22years age group were randomly assigned into two groups. Group one was a non-bleached control group with sound enamel. Group two was bleachedwith Everbrite In office tooth whitening system after specimen preparation, surface morphology was observed under SEM (scanned electron microscope) and AFM (Atomic force microscope).

Results: Thedetrimental effects of hydrogen per-oxide on enamel were evident in bleached specimens under SEM, and AFM analysis.

Conclusion: There were significant surface alterations found in the bleached specimens as compared to control group. However salivary buffering potentials could overcome the demineralizing effect of bleaching gel.