ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: This study investigates the effects of in-office bleaching agents on the color change and surface roughness of nanofilled resin composite finished by various polishing procedures. METHODS: The authors made 108 specimens from nanofilled resin composite, and the finishing and polishing procedures were performed with either Sof-Lex (3M ESPE) or OneGloss (Shofu). The specimens were then immersed in tea or coffee solution for 1 week, after which in-office bleaching agents were applied (n = 9). After polishing and bleaching, the surface roughness was measured with a surface profilometer. The specimen color parameters were measured with the Commission Internationale de l'Eclairage L∗a∗b∗ system in 3 stages, namely after polishing, after staining, and at the end of the bleaching procedure. The total color changes (ΔEab∗) were calculated, and ΔEab∗ not exceeding 2.7 was considered a clinically acceptable threshold. RESULTS: The highest initial roughness value was observed on surfaces polished with OneGloss. In all groups, the surface roughness increased significantly after bleaching. For the Sof-Lex group specimens stained in both tea and coffee solutions, bleaching agent Opalescence Boost (Ultradent) reduced the color change value to 2.7 or less after bleaching. CONCLUSIONS: In-office bleaching agents increased surface roughness in all groups, especially on unpolished surfaces. However, surface roughness was at an acceptable threshold for the multistep polished group, Sof-Lex, after bleaching. Nanofilled resin composite staining can be partially reduced by in-office bleaching agents but not completely removed. PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: To reduce the increase in surface roughness of composite restorations due to bleaching, polishing should be applied before and after bleaching.
