Effects of three concentrations of carbamide peroxide on the structure of enamel

Carbamide peroxide bleaching agents have raised important questions on their potential adverse effects on the structure of enamel. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of three carbamide peroxide bleaching agents in different concentrations (10, 16 and 35%) on the structure of enamel. Forty enamel slabs prepared from human third molars were divided equally among four groups. The specimens in the first and second group were subjected to 10% or 16% carbamide peroxide for 8 h per day for 6 weeks. Thirty-five percent carbamide peroxide was applied to the third group for 30 min a day for a 4 day period according to the manufacturers recommendation. The fourth group served as the control and was kept in artificial saliva during the test period. At the completion of the treatment, all the specimens were examined by infrared absorbtion spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction analysis. The results revealed that 10% or 16% carbamide peroxide did not seem to effect the structure of enamel, whereas 35% carbamide did affect the structure. The use of lower concentrations of carbamide peroxide (10-16%) is recommended over higher concentrations (35%) to avoid changes to the enamel.