Efficacy and persistence of tooth bleaching using a diode laser with three different treatment regimens.

Statement Of Problem: Studies have measured the effectiveness of tooth bleaching, however there are very few studies that have measured the persistence in color change after a 6-month follow-up.

Purpose: This study assessed the efficacy of the laser bleaching process using different regimens, and the persistence of color change over a 6-month period.

Method And Materials: Sixty patients divided into three equal groups were subjected to bleaching using a diode laser with 34% hydrogen peroxide.

Clinical performance of IPS-Empress 2 ceramic crowns inserted by general dental practitioners.

Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical performance of IPS-Empress 2(R) all-ceramic crowns placed by general dental practitioners.

Methods And Materials: Eighty-two IPS-Empress 2 crowns placed in 64 patients (27 females and 37 males) were evaluated. These crowns had been in place for 15.

Optimizing resin cement removal around esthetic crown margins.

Objective: To quantify luting cement at the crown-tooth interface of esthetic crowns fabricated using four different techniques and two methods of excess cement removal.

Material And Methods: Four methods of crown fabrication were used: the feldspathic porcelain and platinum foil technique, the feldspathic porcelain and refractory die technique, the resin composite crown and CAD/CAM technique, and the feldspathic porcelain crown and CAD/CAM technique. Half of the cemented crowns were allocated to Group A: removal of excess cement by flicking-off with a plastic instrument 3 min after initial polymerization, or Group B: removal of excess cement using a wiping action with cotton pellets.

Effect of LED curing modes on cusp deflection and hardness of composite restorations.

This in vitro study measured cusp deflection associated with MOD resin composite restorations in maxillary premolars with different curing light modes. Soft-start polymerization may reduce cusp deflection by reducing polymerization shrinkage stress. Forty maxillary premolars were mounted in stone and slot MOD cavities were prepared.