Digitization in Skin Shade Matching for Maxillofacial Prostheses: A Systematic Review

Area of Science:

• Dental Prosthodontics
• Biomedical Engineering
• Esthetic Dentistry

Background:

• Color matching is vital for esthetic outcomes in maxillofacial prostheses.
• Accurate shade reproduction ensures patient satisfaction and functional restoration.
• Digital techniques offer potential for improved precision in color matching.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review digital color-matching techniques for maxillofacial prostheses.
• To evaluate the accuracy and reliability of various digital methods.
• To identify the most effective techniques for clinical application.

Main Methods:

• Systematic literature search conducted in PubMed/Medline, Scopus, and Web of Science (2000-2022).
• Adherence to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines.
• Inclusion of eight studies after full-text evaluation by two independent reviewers.

Main Results:

• Computerized color formulation, spectroradiometers, mobile phone colorimeters, additive manufacturing, and e-skin were evaluated.
• Most digital methods demonstrated good accuracy, with additive manufacturing showing lower accuracy but high repeatability.
• The e-skin computerized method showed potential for enhanced accuracy and color matching.

Conclusions:

• No single digital method is definitively superior for maxillofacial prostheses color matching due to limited studies.
• The e-skin method shows promise for achieving better accuracy and color fidelity.
• Further research is necessary to validate the e-skin method for precise clinical application.