Effect of Bleaching Agents on the Nanohardness of Tooth Enamel, Composite Resin, and the Tooth-Restoration Interface.

This in vitro study aimed to evaluate the nanohardness of tooth enamel, composite resin, dental adhesive, and enamel hybrid layer exposed to 35% hydrogen peroxide-based bleaching agents and analyze the tooth-restoration interface using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). This study used 40 crowns of bovine incisors, which were embedded in epoxy resin. A 2 × 2 × 2-mm cavity was prepared in the medial third of the flattened buccal surface of each tooth and restored (two-step etch-and-rinse Adper Single Bond 2 + nanocomposite resin Filtek Z350 XT). The specimens were polished and divided into four groups (n=10), corresponding to each bleaching agent used (TB: Total Blanc Office, pH=7.22-6.33; HPB: Whiteness HP Blue, pH=8.89-8.85; HP: Whiteness HP, pH=6.65-6.04; PO: Pola Office, pH=3.56-3.8), applied in accordance with manufacturer protocols. The nanohardness of the substrates was measured before and immediately after the bleaching procedure and after 7-day storage in artificial saliva with an Ultra-Microhardness Tester (DUH-211S, Shimadzu). Loads used were 100 mN for tooth enamel and composite resin and 10 mN for adhesive and enamel hybrid layer. For SEM analysis, epoxy replicas were prepared through high-precision impressions of the specimens. For nanohardness, the statistical tests two-way analysis of variance and Tukey (p<0.05) revealed that the agent with the lowest pH value (PO) was the only one to decrease the nanohardness of enamel and the enamel hybrid layer immediately after its application; however, after 7-day storage in artificial saliva, the nanohardness levels of these substrates returned to their original values. SEM analysis revealed small gaps between tooth enamel and adhesive after the exposure to all bleaching agents; however, the most evident gap in the tooth-restoration interface was observed immediately after application of agent PO. No bleaching agent used changed the nanohardness of the composite resin and adhesive layer.