Surface roughness changes of bleached enamel after exposure to artificial saliva: a time-dependent profilometric study
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Introduction. Tooth bleaching improves dental esthetics but may increase enamel surface roughness due to oxidative effects. This in vitro study evaluated time-dependent changes in the surface roughness of bleached enamel following exposure to artificial saliva. Materials and methods. Forty-two standardized enamel specimens obtained from extracted human teeth were bleached with 35% carbamide peroxide and allocated to seven groups. Six groups were exposed to artificial saliva for different time intervals, ranging from 1 to 24 hours, while the control group was stored in saline for 24 hours. Surface roughness (Ra, µm) was recorded after bleaching, before the assigned storage interval, and again after completion of the assigned artificial saliva or saline exposure period. Results. An overall tendency toward reduced surface roughness was observed with longer exposure to artificial saliva, with the lowest Ra value recorded after 24 hours. One-way ANOVA of final post-storage Ra values demonstrated a statistically significant overall difference among groups (F(6, 35) = 3.13, p = 0.0145). Tukey-adjusted post hoc analysis showed that the 24-hour artificial saliva group differed significantly from the 24-hour saline control group. The observed differences indicate surface-level topographical improvement rather than complete structural remineralization. Conclusion. Within the limitations of this in vitro study, artificial saliva was associated with an overall reduction in the surface roughness of bleached enamel over time, with the most pronounced surface-level improvement observed after 24 hours. These findings should be interpreted as topographical surface changes rather than direct evidence of complete enamel remineralization.
Source: Romanian Journal of Stomatology
Institution: Nitte University
Language: English
Topic: Dental Erosion and Treatment
Subfield: General Dentistry
Field: Dentistry
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $216
OpenAlex ID: W7222588982