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In vivo color measurement of 410 maxillary anterior teeth
1Department of Prosthodontics, School of Stomatology, West China University of Medical Sciences (WCUMS), P. R. China.
Objective:
To make in vivo color measurements of maxillary anterior teeth.
Methods:
A fiber-optic spectrophotometer (FMC-9204, Kunming, China) was used for in vivo color measurements of 410 healthy maxillary anterior teeth of 70 Kunming residents aged 18 to 70. The results were expressed by the CIE (Commission Internationale de L'Eclairage) L*A*B* system.
Results:
The value of L* was positively correlated with L* = 42.74 + 0.14 x age; the value of A* was negatively correlated with age (A* = 1.73 - 0.03 x age). The color of the maxillary anterior teeth was related to tooth position: the central incisor had the highest value of L*, the canine had the lowest. The canine was also redder, yellower, and more saturated.
