The repeatability of digital shade measurement--a clinical study

Area of Science:

• Dental materials science
• Clinical dentistry
• Colorimetry

Background:

• Objective shade measurement is crucial for dental restorations.
• The VITA Easyshade spectrophotometer offers objective shade determination.
• Clinical validation of its repeatability and accuracy is needed.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the repeatability of the intraoral VITA Easyshade spectrophotometer.
• To evaluate shade stability of metal ceramic restorations over 2.5 years.
• To verify the clinical performance of VITA Easyshade.

Main Methods:

• 25 metal ceramic crowns in 19 patients were measured using VITA Easyshade.
• Objective shade measurements (L*a*b*) and subjective dentist assessments were performed.
• Measurements were taken at insertion, 14 days, 6 months, 1.5 years, and 2.5 years.

Main Results:

• The average color difference (∆E) over 2.5 years was 2.1.
• Follow-up measurements showed average ∆E values of 2.2 (6 months), 2.3 (1.5 years), and 2.0 (2.5 years).
• Subjective analysis by the dentist detected no changes in ceramic veneer shade.

Conclusions:

• The VITA Easyshade demonstrates high repeatability and accuracy in clinical settings.
• Objective shade measurements confirm the color stability of metal ceramic restorations.
• The VITA Easyshade is a reliable tool for evaluating shade stability in vivo.