Spectrophotometric analysis of plateau effect in carbamide peroxide at 10% and 16% concentrations

Plateau Effect of Carbamide Peroxide Analysis

Abstract

Objectives: Aesthetics, particularly a bright smile, hold significant value in today’s society. Tooth whitening is the most common, minimally invasive treatment to achieve this. This study aims to identify the plateau phase of tooth whitening, which is crucial for optimizing treatment and minimizing side effects due to overuse.

Materials & Methods: Thirty extracted human incisors and canines were treated with 10% and 16% carbamide peroxide gel for 28 days. Colour parameters (?E, ?a, ?L, ?b) were measured daily using photospectrometry until day 21. Data were analyzed for statistical significance.

Results: Analysis revealed that the colour difference (?E) plateaued by day 20 for both tooth types. A significant difference (P<0.0001) between canines and incisors was found at 10% concentration but not at 16%. Brightness (?L) also plateaued by day 20, with significant differences (P<0.0001 and P<0.01) for 10% and 16% concentrations, respectively. The red-green axis (?a) showed significant differences (P<0.0001) for both concentrations, while the yellow-blue axis (?b) showed a significant difference (P<0.001) at 10% but none at 16%.

Conclusion: The findings indicate that incisors and canines reach a colour change plateau by day 20. At 16%, whitening effects were more consistent between tooth types, suggesting higher concentrations promote uniform results.