CLINICAL EFFICACY OF 35% CARBAMIDE PEROXIDE AND SODIUM PERBORATE IN INTRACORONAL BLEACHING OF DISCOLOURED NON-VITAL TEETH

The objective of this study was to compare the efficacy and safety of 35% Carbamide peroxide (CP) and Sodium perborate (SP) as intracoronal bleaching agents in discoloured non-vital teeth. This prospective study was done at the Restorative Dentistry Department, University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Benin City, Nigeria. Seventy-six patients, each with a discoloured non-vital tooth were matched for shade and randomized into two groups and bleached with 35% CP and SP respectively. The teeth were bleached and evaluated at 5-day intervals. The shades of the bleached teeth were determined using the Vitapan classical shade guide® (Zahn Fabrick, Bad Sackingen, Germany). At baseline, 46 (60.5%) teeth had the darkest shade 16(C4) while 2 (2.6%) teeth had the lightest shade 10 (D4). In the first bleaching session, teeth bleached by 35% CP showed more Shade guide units (Sgu) movement towards lighter shades than SP (p 0.05). At the third bleaching session the mean Sgu movement for both reagents was 3 but SP showed a significant bleaching effect over 35% CP. At the final evaluation SP and CP had bleached 78.9% and 73.7% of teeth respectively to their desired shades; with a satisfaction of 76.8% (p=0.004). At six months recall, relapse was observed in 3(8.8%) teethtreatedwithCPandnone inthose treatedwithSP.This study demonstrated that over a longer bleaching period; Sodium perborate is safe and has a better bleaching efficacy than 35% Carbamide peroxide.