Cie L*A*B* Values in VITA Classical and VITA 3D Master by Two Dental Spectrophotometers

Area of Science:

• Dental Materials Science
• Color Science in Dentistry
• Instrument Accuracy and Reliability

Background:

• Accurate dental shade matching is crucial for aesthetic restorations.
• Dental shade guides and spectrophotometers are used to achieve precise color reproduction.
• Variability between shade-matching devices can affect clinical outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the CIE L*a*b* values of two dental shade guides using two shade-matching spectrophotometers.
• To evaluate the inter-device reliability and accuracy of SpectroShade Micro (SS) and Easyshade (ES).

Main Methods:

• SpectroShade Micro (SS) and Easyshade (ES) spectrophotometers were used to measure shade tabs from VITA Classical (VC) and VITA 3D Shade Master (VM) guides.
• 30 measurements per shade tab across three batches were performed by a calibrated operator.
• Color differences (ΔE00) and intraclass coefficients (ICC) were calculated and analyzed.

Main Results:

• Statistically significant differences were found between the two devices for most L*a*b* values.
• Color differences (ΔE00) exceeded the acceptability threshold (≥1.8) for most shade tabs between devices.
• The overall mean inter-device ΔE00 was 2.2 ± 1.0 for VC and 2.5 ± 1.0 for VM.

Conclusions:

• Both dental spectrophotometers demonstrated high intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) values, confirming their utility as auxiliary tools.
• Discrepancies in L*a*b* values were observed between the devices, particularly for specific hues (D in VC, R in VM).
• Inter-device variability necessitates careful consideration during shade selection for predictable aesthetic results.