Many in-office teeth whitening treatments still use light or lasers during the procedure. You have probably seen advertisements for these types of whiteners or maybe you have even seen products promoted online that use a light to whiten teeth. Are these lights really effective?
The answer is no. Current studies show that hydrogen peroxide, the whitening agent contained in most products on the market, used alone (without any additional light) is effective in whitening teeth, meaning that light activation does not add any additional benefits. .
Here are some quotes from some studies, among many currently available, that concluded that it is better to perform teeth whitening without the light.
In-Office Vital Teeth Whitening - What Does the Light Add?
"Clinical data indicates that the three systems tested lightened 83 contralateral pairs of anterior teeth to almost the same combined chroma degree of 1.6 to 1.8 ... with or without the use of accessory lights."
Hein DK, Ploeger BJ, Hartup JK, Wagstaff RS, Palmer TM, Hansen LD. In-office vital tooth bleaching—what do lights add?Compend Contin Educ Dent. 2003;24(4A):340-52.
Clinical Evaluation of Chemically and Light Activated Whitening Systems
"The use of light did not demonstrate any benefit over chemically activated teeth whitening systems after a 2 week return."
Kugel G, Papathanasiou A, Williams AJ 3rd, Anderson C, Ferreira S. Clinical evaluation of chemical and light-activated tooth whitening systems. Compend Contin Educ. 2006;27(1)54-62.
In Vitro Efficacy and Risk of Adverse Effects of Light-Assisted Teeth Whitening
"... optical radiation did not improve the efficacy of whitening with respect to whitening without irradiation. The use of optical radiation in teeth whitening represents a risk to the health of the patient and violates radiation protection regulations. Therefore, we will advise against light-assisted teeth whitening. "
Bruzell EM, Johnsen B, Aalerud TN, Dahl JE, Christensen T. Photochem. In vitro efficacy and risk for adverse effects of light-assisted tooth bleaching. Photochem Photobiol Sci. 2009;8(3):377-85.
Masters of Aesthetic Dentistry
According to Dr. Van Haywood
"Various types of lights and lasers were alleged to simplify and shorten the whitening technique, although research to date has shown otherwise ... The use of a light does not alter the end result and can give an illusion of whitening due to dehydration. "
Haywood, V. New bleaching considerations compared with at-home bleaching. Journal of Esthetic and Restorative Dentistry. 2003;15(3):184-187.
Colorimetric Evaluation of Home and Laser Whitening Techniques
According to a study from the University of Iowa.
"The recommended one-time application of laser activated hydrogen peroxide did not demonstrate any noticeable color change."
Jones AH, Diaz-Arnold AM, Vargas MA, Cobb DS. Colorimetric assessment of laser and home bleaching techniques. J Esthet Dent. 1999;11(2):87-94.
Al elegir un sistema de blanqueamiento en la oficina que no requiere luz, Ud. puede obtener los resultados de blanqueamiento que está buscando.