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Accuracy of Digital Photography and Intraoral Scanning for Tooth Shade Selection in Digital Prosthodontics: A
Luciana Maria Goguta1,2, Mirela Frandes3,4, Melania Teodora Nāşcuţiu1,2
1Department of Prosthodontics, Faculty of Dentistry, "Victor Babes" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 300041 Timisoara, Romania.
Dentistry Journal
|May 26, 2026
Summary
Digital photography and intraoral scanners show limitations in accurate tooth shade selection for digital prosthodontics. Spectrophotometry remains the gold standard, though intraoral scanners offer improved consistency over photography.
Area of Science:
- Dentistry
- Digital Prosthodontics
- Color Science
Background:
- Digital technologies streamline prosthodontic workflows, from data capture to fabrication.
- Accurate tooth shade selection is crucial for aesthetic dental restorations.
- Spectrophotometry is the established gold standard for tooth color measurement.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the accuracy of intraoral scanners and digital photography for tooth shade selection.
- To compare these digital methods against spectrophotometry in a digital prosthodontic workflow.
Main Methods:
- Twenty participants' tooth color was measured using a spectrophotometer, intraoral scanner (Medit i700), and standardized digital photography.
- Color differences (ΔE) were calculated using the CIELAB formula.
- Statistical analysis included t-tests and Bland-Altman analysis to assess agreement.
Main Results:
- Digital photography yielded high ΔE values (19.37 ± 2.45), exceeding the clinical threshold (ΔE = 3.3) and indicating poor accuracy.
- Intraoral scanners showed lower ΔE values (5.53 ± 0.62) but still above the acceptable limit.
- Bland-Altman analysis revealed poor agreement for digital photography and suboptimal agreement for intraoral scanners compared to spectrophotometry.
Conclusions:
- Digital photography is unreliable for shade matching in digital prosthodontics.
- Intraoral scanners offer better consistency than photography but lack clinical accuracy compared to spectrophotometry.
- Spectrophotometry remains the gold standard; intraoral scanners may supplement digital workflows.
