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Defining a natural tooth color space based on a 3-dimensional shade system
Judy Chia-Chun Yuan1, Jane D Brewer, Edward A Monaco
1International Team for Implantology, Bern, Switzerland. judyyuan@hotmail.com
The Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry
|August 19, 2007
Summary
The natural tooth color space in the Buffalo population is broader than manufacturer shade guides, with color differences often exceeding perceptibility thresholds but remaining acceptable. This study defines a regional tooth color space for improved dental shade matching.
Area of Science:
- Dental Aesthetics
- Color Science in Dentistry
- Anthropological Dentistry
Background:
- Manufacturer-provided natural tooth color spaces may not encompass the full spectrum of natural tooth colors across diverse populations.
- Accurate representation of natural tooth color is crucial for esthetic dental restorations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To establish a natural tooth color space specific to the Greater Buffalo, New York population.
- To compare this defined Buffalo tooth color space against a commercial manufacturer's shade guide (Vita 3D-Master).
Main Methods:
- Measured L*, a*, b* values, chroma, and hue for 933 maxillary central incisors from 501 patients using a Vita Easyshade device.
- Performed linear regression to assess the predictive accuracy of manufacturer's L*, a*, b* values against actual measurements.
- Calculated color differences (DeltaE*) and used a 1-sample t test to compare against the perceptibility threshold (DeltaE*=3.7).
Main Results:
- The Buffalo population exhibited a wider range of L*, a*, and b* values compared to the manufacturer's shade guide.
- A significant positive correlation (P<.001) was found between the L*, a*, and b* values from the Buffalo sample and the manufacturer's data.
- The mean color difference (DeltaE*=6.15) was significantly greater than the perceptibility threshold (P<.001).
Conclusions:
- Color differences between the Buffalo population and the manufacturer's shade guide were substantial, often exceeding perceptibility thresholds.
- Despite exceeding thresholds, the observed color differences were deemed within the range of clinical acceptability.
- The natural tooth color space of the Buffalo population was found to encompass the color space provided by the manufacturer.
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