[Observation and identification of porcelain teeth color]

Selection of proper porcelain shade and color matching to the natural dentition is continuously one of the most perplexing and frustrating factors in fixed prosthodontics. A total of 4172 porcelain restorations were collected and categorized according to the Vita Lumin shade guide and the author's view point. After calculating and summing up the data, we found the most frequently used color is reddish-brown, and the least frequently used color is grey-brown. The results suggested a reference of porcelain shade for each tooth. The ability of the dentist in shade selection was not as predicted. Only 50% correct answers were obtained and 19.4% gave completely wrong answers. So we suggest that our data of porcelain color could be used as a reference. Another suggestion is that dentists should have color training in school and it should be a core course of prosthetic dentistry.