[Color analysis of Vita shade guide]

In order to understand the reliability of the Vita Shade Guide and make it more resonably in applying, a series of tests were accomplished. Three Vita shade guides were selected in Beijing hospitals. By using the international color standard CIE1976LAB color system and CS-5 Spectrocolorimeter to measure, test and analyse the characteristics of the shade guides including the degree of color, color distribution, color stability and color difference. The results indicate: The tabs of each shade guide demonstrated the greatest color stability; most of the average color difference among the same number tabs of each guide are less than 1.5 NBS and the color range of shade guides are more limited than that of Chinese teeth crown.