Comparing the efficacy and safety of at-home bleaching products on dental enamel using an ex-vivo bovine enamel model. The study aimed to evaluate the whitening efficacy and structural impact of these treatments on enamel integrity. Methods: Four home whitening agents (BlancOne Home Night+, Opalescence PF Regular, Zoom Nite White and Pola Night) were tested on bovine enamel samples according to ISO 28.399:2021 standards. Whitening efficacy was measured spectrophotometrically before and 48 hours after the treatments. Changes in the topography and mechanical properties of the enamel surface were analyzed by atomic force microscopy (AFM) and nanoindentation, respectively. The pH values of the agents were monitored throughout the treatment to assess their acidity. Results: All agents effectively whitened the enamel, with BlancOne Home Night+ and Opalescence PF Regular showing the highest whitening efficacy (ΔOD, p < 0.001). AFM and nanoindentation analyses revealed significant differences in enamel surface integrity: BlancOne caused minimal increase in roughness and reduction in hardness, while Opalescence showed the most pronounced enamel alterations (p < 0.0001). pH analysis indicated that BlancOne and Opalescence had less acidic profiles (pH 6-7) than Zoom and Pola (pH ≈ 5.5).

During a verbal interaction with another person, the gaze focuses at eye level and at that of the lower third of the interlocutor’s face. Therefore, the smile is an important verbal and non-verbal communication tool, other than having a major social impact and contributing to an image of order and cleaniness. Dental aesthetic appearance is related to cultural factors and different personal preferences, i.e. visual perception may be pleasant or unpleasant, and what is considered ‘beautiful’ in one country may be ‘ugly’ in another. With the rise of social networks, people pay more attention to their image. Also, aesthetic treatments have increased considerably in recent years. Dental discolouration is a major aesthetic problem and, consequently, 'cosmetic dentistry’ is an increasingly popular discipline in modern dental practice. It is crucial for the practitioner to try to perform these treatments in the least invasive way possible. Therefore, this requires us to be fully aware of everything that goes on behind the scenes of a tooth whitening procedure: chemistry, interaction with dental tissue, mechanical properties of teeth, etc.

Professional vital teeth whitening treatments are known to be carried out in an outpatient setting or directly by the patient, or at home, through the application of specific products with customized templates. Regarding Home Bleaching, research has introduced improvements and interesting innovations to ensure much safer and better performing treatments in terms of aesthetic results, and with evolved features for the simultaneous treatment of tooth sensitivity and remineralization of tooth hard tissues. Moreover, this innovation is meant to extend the therapeutic options by including possible combined treatments to the increasingly popular orthodontics operated with removable clear aligners. This webinar is intended as an overview of the Home Bleaching treatment, going over the salient clinical operative modalities and proposing a rational and up-to-date working method, with many practical insights and suggestions. New materials and techniques are introduced to broaden knowledge and provide an opportunity for updating on this specific whitening treatment.