Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 12, 2026
Impact of Common Fruit Juices and Toothbrushing on the Discoloration of Primary Teeth
Published on: March 27, 2026
Development of an illustrated index of tooth appearance-perception-based quantification of tooth discolouration and
Soma Modi1, Lucy Williams, Rosemary Greenwood
1Private Specialist Paediatric Dental Surgeon, Mumbai, India.
Background:
Existing indices to quantify tooth discolouration are mostly aetiology-specific. An index of tooth appearance (IOTA), derived from all types of tooth discolouration and surface defects, would allow the quantification of attractiveness for psychological assessment and treatment planning
Objective:
To develop a perception based IOTA for quantification of all forms of tooth discolouration and surface defects.
Methods:
One hundred images of discoloured teeth were twice ranked by a panel of judges according to perceived attractiveness. Mean image score was then used to arrange the images into a continuum of attractiveness and from these, ten images were selected, to constitute the illustrated IOTA. A second panel of judges assessed 35 clinical pictures using the IOTA, on two occasions.
Results:
The first 100 images were assessed with a correlation of 0.79-0.81 between the two ranking sessions and with intra-group reproducibility of 0.8-0.94. The second panel of judges used the developed IOTA quickly, with an intra-judge correlation of 0.87 and inter-judge reliability of 0.72 and 0.74 for two sessions.
Conclusions:
The IOTA could be used by clinicians as a tool for quantifying disfigurement in teeth, irrespective of aetiology or histology.
Related Concept Videos
01:15Teeth
In the bud stage, the tooth germ (an aggregation of cells) starts to form in the developing jawbone. During the cap stage, the tooth germ differentiates into enamel organ, dental papilla, and dental sac, which will later develop into the tooth's enamel, dentin and...
01:21Tooth Anatomy
The Crown, Neck, and Root
The visible part of the tooth is referred to as the crown. It's covered by enamel, the hardest substance in the human body. The crown is uniquely shaped for each type of tooth, allowing for different functions such as cutting, tearing, or grinding food.
01:26Assessment of the Mouth
Mouth Inspection
The inspection begins with visually examining the mouth for symmetry, color, and size.