Outcomes of visual tooth shade selection performed by operators with different experience

Area of Science:

• Dental materials science
• Color science in dentistry
• Clinical dentistry

Background:

• Accurate dental shade selection is crucial for aesthetic restorations.
• Visual shade selection is influenced by various factors, including lighting and observer experience.
• Instrumental methods offer objective shade measurement but require validation against visual assessment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the influence of professional experience and lighting conditions on visual shade selection.
• To compare visual shade selection results with instrumental measurements (intraoral scanner and spectrophotometer).

Main Methods:

• Visual shade selection performed on natural teeth by 25 observers with varying experience.
• Shade selection conducted under two lighting conditions (4000K and 6500K).
• Instrumental measurements obtained using Trios 3Shape intraoral scanner and Vita Easyshade Compact spectrophotometer.

Main Results:

• Professional experience did not significantly affect visual shade selection outcomes.
• Lighting conditions had no significant impact on visual or instrumental shade measurements.
• No significant difference was found between visual shade selection, intraoral scanner, and spectrophotometer results.

Conclusions:

• Visual shade selection accuracy is independent of observer experience and lighting conditions.
• The Trios 3Shape intraoral scanner can serve as a viable alternative to the Vita Easyshade Compact spectrophotometer for shade determination.