Effect of Postoperative Bleaching on Microleakage of Etch-and-Rinse and Self-etch Adhesives

BACKGROUND: Bleaching the discoloured teeth may affect the tooth/composite interface. The aim of this in vitro experimental study was to evaluate the effect of vital tooth bleaching on microleakage of existent class V composite resin restorations bonded with three dental bonding agents. METHODS: Class V cavities were prepared on buccal surfaces of 72 intact, extracted human anterior teeth with gingival margins in dentin and occlusal margins in enamel, and randomly divided into 3 groups. Cavities in the three groups were treated with Scotch bond Multi-Purpose, a total etch system and Prompt L-Pop and iBond, two self-etch adhesives. All teeth were restored with Z250 resin composite material and thermo-cycled. Each group was equally divided into the control and the bleached subgroups (n = 12). The bleached subgroups were bleached with 15% carbamide peroxide gel for 8 hours a day for 15 days. Microleakage scores were evaluated on the incisal and cervical walls. Data were analyzed using Kruskal-Wallis, Mann-Whitney and Bonferroni post-hoc tests (α = 0.05). RESULTS: Bleaching with carbamide peroxide gel significantly increased the microleakage of composite restorations in Prompt L-Pop group at dentinal walls (P = 0.001). Bleaching had no effect on microleakage of restorations in the Scotch bond Multi-Purpose and iBond groups. CONCLUSION: Vital tooth bleaching with carbamide peroxide gel has an adverse effect on marginal seal of dentinal walls of existent composite resin restorations bonded with prompt L-Pop self-etch adhesive.