This study was done to evaluate whether vital bleaching agents could influence on the translucency of the bovine enamel. The anterior bovine teeth that were extracted one day before and without any gross discoloration were obtained and then were preserved in physiologic saline. 6 mm cylindrical tooth specimens were fabricated with diamond puncher perpendicularly on labial surface of bovine tooth. After embedded in transparent acrylic resin with labial surface being exposed, they were cut to a thickness of 1.2 mm with low speed diamond saw (Isomat, Buehler Co., Lake Bluff, IL, USA). They were smoothly ground to 1 mm thickness of enamel with sandpaper. 24 specimens were randomly divided into 3 groups and control group respectively. Opalescence (10% carbamide peroxide, Ultradent, South Jordan, USA), Rembrandt (10% carbamide peroxide, DenMat, USA) and Opalescence F (15% carbamide peroxide with fluoride, Ultradent, USA) were applied on labial sides of the bovine enamel for 7 days (bleaching agents were reapplied every 24 hours) and the opposite surface was contacted to cotton that soaked in distilled water. The control group was soaked in distilled water. Three stimulus value X, Y and Z were evaluated with colorimeter (Color & Color Differencemeter, Model TC-6FX, Tokyo Denshoku Co., Japan) on the labial surface of all specimen three times on white and black background plate before the bleaching agents were applied and on 3rd, 5th and 7th day after applied. The degree of translucency was normally assessed by measuring the inverse property, opacity (contrast ratio).

10% Opalescence, 15% Opalescence-F, and control group showed no significant variation in the translucency of bovine enamel, However Rembrandt decreased the translucency of it (p < 0.01).

This study was conducted to evaluate the temperature rise on the root surface while the root canal is being obturated using continuous wave of condensation technique. Maxillary central incisor was prepared for repeated canal obturation. Ten thermocouples (Omega Engineering Inc., Stanford, USA) were placed at 1 mm increment from the anatomical root apex. The real temperature of Buchanan plugger was recorded before insertion into the root canal. The root canal was obturated with continuous wave of condensation technique as described by Buchanan and the root surface temperature was recorded during obturation at 150℃, 200℃, 250℃ and 300℃ temperature settings of System B HeatSource (Model 1005, Analytic technologies, Redmond, WA, USA). After completion of the temperature recording, the dentinal-cementum thickness at each sites was measured. The data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA followed by Scheffe' s test and linear regression test.

The results were as follows.

When the temperature was set at 150℃, 200℃, 250℃ and 300℃ on the digital display of System B HeatSource, the real temperature of the plugger at the 1mm point from the tip revealed 130.82±2.96℃, 158.00±5.26℃, 215.92±6.91℃ and 249.88±3.65℃ respectively.

These results suggest that it be relatively kind to the supporting tissues of the root that the root canal is obturated using continuous wave of condensation technique at 150℃, 200℃, 250℃ and 300℃ temperature settings on digital temperature display of System B HeatSource.