Light-activated tooth whitening method
View Patent ↗A method of whitening teeth comprises the steps of contacting a stained tooth surface with an organic metal-ligand complex and an oxidizing compound, and exposing the stained tooth surface to actinic radiation.
1. A method of whitening teeth comprising the steps of: contacting a stained tooth surface with a transparent composition comprising a metal-ligand complex and an oxidizing compound; exposing the stained tooth surface to actinic radiation while said transparent composition is in contact with the tooth surface to effect tooth whitening; and thereafter removing said transparent composition from the tooth surface, wherein said metal-ligand complex comprises an oxalate, gluconate, or bis-phosphonate ligand.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the metal-ligand complex comprises iron, copper, or manganese.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the actinic radiation has a wavelength between 350 and 700 nanometers.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the actinic radiation has a wavelength between 350 and 500 nanometers.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the actinic radiation has a wavelength between 380 and 505 nanometer.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the actinic radiation has a wavelength between 400 and 500 nanometers.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the oxidizing compound comprises hydrogen peroxide; an alkali metal percarbonate; carbamide peroxide; or a peroxyacid.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the actinic energy has a power density between 10 and 200 mW/cm 2 at the stained tooth surface.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the stained tooth surface is exposed to actinic radiation for a period of time between 10 and 90 minutes.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the metal-ligand complex and oxidizing compound are water soluble.
11. A method of whitening teeth comprising the steps of: contacting a stained tooth surface with a transparent composition comprising a metal-ligand complex and an oxidizing compound; exposing the stained tooth surface to actinic radiation while said transparent composition is in contact with the tooth surface to effect tooth whitening; and thereafter removing said transparent composition from the tooth surface, wherein the metal-ligand complex is formed between 1-hydroxyethylidene-1,1-diphosphonic acid and ferrous ions.
12. The method of claim 11 wherein said actinic radiation comprises a continuous, interrupted continuous, pulsed, or a combination of continuous, interrupted continuous and pulse radiation.
13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the stained tooth surface is exposed to actinic radiation for a period of time between 10 and 90 minutes.
14. The method of claim 11 , wherein the actinic radiation has a power density between 10 and 200 mW/cm at the stained tooth surface.
15. The method of claim 11 , wherein the actinic radiation has a wavelength between 350 and 700 nanometers.
16. The method of claim 11 , wherein the actinic radiation has a wavelength between 350 and 500 nanometers.