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[In vivo color measurement of 410 healthy maxillary anterior teeth]
1College of Stomatology, West China University of Medical Sciences, Chengdu 610041.
Objective:
In order to measure and analyse the color characteristics of intra-oral vital teeth objectively and accurately.
Methods:
The fiber-optic spectrophotometer (FMC-9204, Kunmin, China) was used for measurements of 410 healthy maxillary anterior teeth of 70 people aged from 18 to 70 years old who lived in Kunmin, China.
Results:
The results were expressed by CIEL*A*B* systems. Statistical analysis showed that: L* of natural teeth is related to age positively, and the regressive equation is L* = 42.74 + 0.14 x age. Value of A* is related to age negatively, the regressive equation is A* = 1.73 - 0.03 x age. The color of the maxillary anterior teeth was also related to tooth position. The central incisor has the highest value of L*, but the canine is the darkest. Besides, the canine is redder, yellower, and more saturated.
Conclusion:
These results may help to make the optic character of oral prosthetic material well matched with the natural teeth.
