Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 5, 2026

Longitudinal Intravital Imaging Through Clear Silicone Windows
07:44

Longitudinal Intravital Imaging Through Clear Silicone Windows

Published on: January 5, 2022

Translucency estimation for thick pigmented maxillofacial elastomer.

Xingxue Hu1, William M Johnston

  • 1The Ohio State University College of Dentistry, 305 W. 12th Ave, Columbus, OH 43210, USA.

Journal of Dentistry
|January 15, 2011
PubMed
Summary

This study aimed to find reliable ways to measure how translucent thick, pigmented materials are, especially those used in prosthetics that mimic human skin. Two optical methods—LLDA and CDEL—were tested on 19 different skin-colored silicone samples. The study found that both methods gave accurate results and could be used to estimate translucency without damaging the material. The LLDA method, in particular, showed promise as a non-contact technique. These findings suggest that these methods could help improve the visual realism of prosthetic devices by better matching the translucency of human skin.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Response to the Letter to the Editor regarding, "Comparison of wear behavior of occlusal device materials manufactured by different processes".

The Journal of prosthetic dentistry·2026
Same author

Determining the perceptibility and acceptability threshold of the relative translucency parameter- A pilot study.

Journal of prosthodontics : official journal of the American College of Prosthodontists·2026
Same author

Factors Affecting Patient Treatment Duration in an Advanced Orthodontic Education Clinic.

Journal of dental education·2025
Same author

Comparison of wear behavior of occlusal device materials manufactured by different processes.

The Journal of prosthetic dentistry·2025
Same author

Effect of surface priming on the wettability of heat-polymerized polymethylmethacrylate, milled and 3D printed denture base polymers: An in vitro study.

Journal of dentistry·2025
Same author

Effect of surface treatment on the bond strength of chairside hard liners bonded to traditional and contemporary CAD-CAM denture base polymers.

The Journal of prosthetic dentistry·2025

Area of Science:

  • Dermatology and cosmetic materials science
  • Medical prosthetics and biomaterials engineering
  • Optical metrology in material characterization

Background:

Human skin exhibits a complex, layered structure with partial translucency, making it difficult to quantify translucency in a way that matches standard material testing. Prior research has shown that traditional methods for translucent materials do not easily apply to skin or skin-like materials. This gap motivated the need for a new approach to estimate translucency in thick, pigmented materials. Existing methods often fail to account for the optical properties of pigmented layers. No prior work had resolved how to measure translucency in thick prosthetic materials accurately. This uncertainty drove the development of a new optical technique. The challenge lies in translating skin-like translucency into measurable parameters. Researchers have proposed using optical methods to approximate translucency in skin-colored prosthetics. The goal is to improve the visual realism of prosthetic materials.

Purpose Of The Study:

The aim of this study was to develop and compare two optical methods for estimating translucency in thick, pigmented maxillofacial elastomers. The specific problem addressed is the lack of a reliable, non-contact method for quantifying translucency in materials that mimic human skin. The motivation stems from the need to improve the appearance of prosthetic devices. Translucency is a key factor in achieving realistic skin color and texture. The study focused on skin-colored elastomers used in maxillofacial prosthetics. The researchers proposed using laser light diffusion and color difference measurements. These methods were tested on a range of pigmented materials. The study sought to determine which method provides the most accurate translucency estimation.

Keywords:
translucency measurementmaxillofacial prostheticsoptical material testingskin-like material analysis

Frequently Asked Questions

Both LLDA and CDEL methods provided accurate translucency estimates with adjusted R² ≥ 0.919.

Nineteen skin-colored silicone samples were made using tan, red, yellow, and black commercial pigments.

The researchers propose that LLDA is non-contact and suitable for thick, pigmented materials.

CIELAB and CIE2000 formulas were used to calculate translucency parameters at 1.5mm thickness.

More Related Videos

Thin Film Composite Silicon Elastomers for Cell Culture and Skin Applications: Manufacturing and Characterization
08:02

Thin Film Composite Silicon Elastomers for Cell Culture and Skin Applications: Manufacturing and Characterization

Published on: July 3, 2018

Fabrication and Characterization of Optical Tissue Phantoms Containing Macrostructure
10:22

Fabrication and Characterization of Optical Tissue Phantoms Containing Macrostructure

Published on: February 12, 2018

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 5, 2026

Longitudinal Intravital Imaging Through Clear Silicone Windows
07:44

Longitudinal Intravital Imaging Through Clear Silicone Windows

Published on: January 5, 2022

Thin Film Composite Silicon Elastomers for Cell Culture and Skin Applications: Manufacturing and Characterization
08:02

Thin Film Composite Silicon Elastomers for Cell Culture and Skin Applications: Manufacturing and Characterization

Published on: July 3, 2018

Fabrication and Characterization of Optical Tissue Phantoms Containing Macrostructure
10:22

Fabrication and Characterization of Optical Tissue Phantoms Containing Macrostructure

Published on: February 12, 2018

Main Methods:

The study used two optical techniques—laser light diffusing area (LLDA) and color difference due to edge loss (CDEL)—to estimate translucency in maxillofacial elastomers. Specimens were made from 19 different skin-colored shades of silicone elastomer. Each sample was pigmented with tan, red, yellow, or black commercial pigments. Translucency parameter (TP) values were calculated using the CIELAB and CIE2000 color difference formulas. The TP values were based on measurements at 1.5mm thickness on black and white backings. Regression models were developed to predict TP from LLDA and CDEL measurements. The accuracy of both methods was compared using adjusted R² values. The study evaluated error variances to assess the reliability of each method.

Main Results:

Both LLDA and CDEL methods provided accurate translucency estimates with adjusted R² values of 0.919 or higher. The error variances between the two methods were not significantly different. The LLDA method showed a strong correlation with TP values across all 19 material shades. The CDEL method also demonstrated high predictive accuracy for translucency. The regression models for both methods were reliable within the tested range. The study found no significant difference in the performance of the two techniques. The LLDA method may be particularly useful for non-contact translucency estimation. The results suggest that both methods can be applied to thick, pigmented materials.

Conclusions:

The researchers propose that the laser light diffusing method is highly reliable for estimating translucency in maxillofacial elastomers. The LLDA method may be used to estimate the apparent translucency of thick materials. The study suggests that both LLDA and CDEL methods can be applied to prosthetic materials. The findings indicate that these optical methods are suitable for non-contact, non-destructive testing. The authors propose that the LLDA method could be incorporated into appearance matching of prosthetics. The study supports the use of LLDA for translucency estimation in skin-colored materials. The results suggest that these methods may be applied to human skin in future research. The study concludes that LLDA is a promising technique for translucency measurement.

Adjusted R² ≥ 0.919 indicates strong predictive accuracy of LLDA and CDEL methods.

The authors propose that LLDA may be used to estimate translucency in human skin and prosthetics.