Keynote Address: Whitening Research: Pathways to Credible Results

Tooth whitening is one of the most popular procedures in dentistry. The same is true for whitening research compared to other color related topics - there are more than 2100 papers referenced on MEDLINE for keywords "tooth" and "whitening".

Some of the challenges of visual monitoring of tooth whitening are associated with observer and patient recruitment, and color matching tools, conditions and method. The so-called Value scale of the VITA Classical shade guide, a conventional gold standard for monitoring whitening, has significant shortcomings that diminish the credibility of research results:

.           It does not correspond to visual light-to-dark order

.           It has a narrow range and inconsistent color distribution

.           Value scale exhibits poor correlation with chroma changes

.           Lack of very light tabs dictates study designs that exclude a huge percentage of the population

Dental researchers in the past had limited choices in selecting shade guides for monitoring whitening. However, a significant change occurred with the introduction of the new Bleachedguide 3D-Master and particularly after the introduction of the new tab marking system that includes interpolated shade guide units (ranging from 1 to 29 sgu). Clear evidence of the inferiority of Classical Value scale and benefits of the "interpolated" Bleachedguide will be provided, followed by appropriate conclusions and recommendations.