2010 Volume 53 Issue 3 Pages 266-273
This study examined how polishing after office-whitening influences the surface properties of enamel. On the labial surface of bovine enamel, flat surfaces were prepared by successive use of SiC papers, then one half of the surface was treated by a 35% hydrogen-based office-whitening agents without polishing (control group), and the other half was treated with the same whitening agents followed by surface polishing (polished group). Three different polishing pastes composed of three different sizes of abrasive were used for the polishing. Polishing was done immediately after whitening once a week up to 4 weeks. Before and after whitening with and without polishing, surface roughness (Ra) was determined (n=5) and morphological change was observed by a scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results were as follows: 1. Without polishing no change was found in the surface roughness of enamel after whitening at every measuring period. With polishing, however, the surface roughness of enamel changed depending on the type of paste and the methods of using pastes. 2. SEM images demonstrated that the smear layer on the enamel had been removed after whitening and the morphology varied depending on the type of paste and the methods of using pastes.
