Natural Tooth Color Estimation Based on Age and Gender

Area of Science:

• Dental Aesthetics
• Color Science
• Aging Research

Background:

• Tooth color is a key component of dental aesthetics.
• Understanding factors influencing natural tooth color is crucial for restorative dentistry.
• Previous research has explored various factors affecting tooth color, but age-related changes require further elucidation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the predictability of tooth color coordinates using the CIELab system.
• To estimate maxillary central incisor color based on patient age and gender.
• To establish a predictive model for age- and gender-related tooth color alterations.

Main Methods:

• Spectrophotometric measurement of tooth color (L*, C*, h*, a*, b*) in 1361 Caucasian Spanish individuals (aged 16-89).
• Data collection stratified by age and gender.
• Analysis using the CIELab color system and linear regression models.

Main Results:

• Age significantly influences tooth color, accounting for 45% of L* (lightness) variation, 21% of a* (redness/greenness) variation, and 17% of b* (yellowness/blueness) variation.
• The mean estimated color difference (ΔE_ab *) between actual and predicted color ranged from 6.4 to 6.9 units at a 95% confidence level.
• Increasing age correlated with darker, more yellow, and more reddish tooth colors.

Conclusions:

• Tooth color changes predictably with age in Caucasians from Spain.
• The L* coordinate (lightness) is the primary indicator of tooth color changes associated with aging.
• The findings provide a basis for predicting natural tooth color variations due to aging.