Many clinicians use heat and/or light believing it enhances results of vital tooth bleaching. PURPOSE 1: Determine if teeth were perceived visually as lighter when heat and/or light was used during in-office bleaching. MATERIALS and METHODS 1: Fifty-three upper or lower arches from 31 subjects were treated using 1 of 11 commercial based in-office H₂O₂ vital tooth bleaching products. Eight of the 11 products recommended use of light and/or heat. Tooth color was recorded by color 35mm slides and by a Master Certified Dental Technician, blinded to technique followed, using the Vitapan 3D-Master Shade Guide before treatment, and 2 and 7 days post treatment. Split arch treatment provided for equal application time of bleach material with or without use of heat and/or light. PURPOSE 2: Determine the effect of heat and/or light used clinically on the available H₂O₂. MATERIALS & METHODS 2: Samples of the bleaching gels used in Method 1 were assayed for H₂O₂ concentration (USP XXII, 1990, p663). Decomposition rates of eight of the gels were also measured using isothermal heat-conduction calorimetry (Hansen, L.D., Pharm Tech., 1996). ResultS: All products tested lightened test subjects' teeth 1-2 shades regardless of light &/or heat use. Assayed H₂O₂ concentrations in the mixed but not applied gels, & the applied gels with or without light &/or heat were similar within each gel. Decomposition rates of H₂O₂ at temperatures tolerated by patients clinically (<48oC) was <50mg/hr/gr of gel. Bleaching gels generally did not show accelerated decomposition, even at 85oC. ConclusionS: The use of heat and/or light during bleaching of vital teeth did not make them lighter visually when calculations were done using baseline and 1 week post treatment readings. The use of heat and/or light clinically did not accelerate the decomposition of H₂O₂ to levels that effected a difference clinically.

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