The effect of bleaching extracted teeth on the microleakage of subsequently placed Class V composite resin restorations was evaluated. Ten extracted premolars were stored in water at 37 degrees C to serve as controls. Ten premolars were exposed to a carbamide peroxide gel for three 2-hour periods per day for 9 days. These specimens were stored in water at 37 degrees C except during treatment periods. Class V cavity preparations were then placed at the cementoenamel junction of the facial and lingual surfaces of all teeth. Half of the teeth of each group were resoted with Scotchbond 2/Silux Plus and half were restored with Prisma Universal Bond 3/AP.H. After 24 hours of storage in 37 degrees C water, the teeth were thermally stressed for 100 cycles. Microleakage was assessed by dye penetration. The results demonstrated that prerestorative bleaching did not affect the marginal seal of subsequently placed restorations.