Understanding Shade taking in Dentistry - Basic, How to guide. (2024)

FAQs

Understanding Shade taking in Dentistry - Basic, How to guide.? ›

The person taking the shade should be at eye level with the patient's teeth. The shade tab should be held in the same position as the tooth. Place the incisal edge of the guide to the incisal edge of the tooth. Make sure the guide is in line with the teeth.

The person taking the shade should be at eye level with the patient's teeth. The shade tab should be held in the same position as the tooth. Place the incisal edge of the guide to the incisal edge of the tooth. Make sure the guide is in line with the teeth.

Over the years, the traditional way of selecting tooth shade has been through visual observation by the unaided eye. This is done by the operator visually comparing the tooth colour with standard shade guides (tabs of several hues and chroma) and choosing the one he/she perceives to be the best or closest match.

Shade selection involves the perception of colour, which depends on three entities: light source; object; and detector. Initial shade selection should initially be made with daylight or colour-corrected lighting, and then the shade should be matched under different lights to avoid metamerism.

Tooth color is largely determined by the dentine. The overlying enamel is colorless. The less enamel there is, the more intense and darker the tooth color appears. In the case of dentures, in addition to the shade of the stump, material differences also affect the shade of the tooth.

If a patient is wearing colored clothing, you can cover it with a light blue sheet or smock. Make sure there are no other bright colors in the proximity of the shade-taking area. Also, bright-colored walls or furniture will reflect colored light and affect the accuracy of your shade and/or photograph.

Using a four-shade guide, most people have teeth that are A3 in color, meaning that they are somewhat reddish brown. This is considered the average, natural tooth shade. Nowadays, however, many people want their teeth to look whiter and brighter and are requesting that their A3 teeth improve in color.

A1 vs B1 Tooth Color

Logically, one might think that A1 is the whitest tooth shade because A is the first letter in the alphabet. However, the B1 tooth shade is actually the lightest, followed by A1. This is by virtue of its coloring (reddish yellow) as opposed to the coloring of A teeth (reddish brown).

Keep the lines spaced closer together to make darker shadows or place them further apart to make that part of the drawing look brighter. Try to pull hatching lines in one long stroke to keep them uniform. Follow the contours of objects with your lines to help simulate a three-dimensional form.

Light quality has been shown to be the most influential factor in selection of accurate shades. Have more than one person assist with shade selection. Consider letting the patient participate in the process, and document the choice in the record.

How do I choose the right shade of teeth? ›

Skin Tone: Your skin tone can influence how certain shades appear. A shade that complements your skin tone will ensure a harmonious and natural look. Lip Color: The contrast between your teeth and lip color can impact the perception of tooth whiteness. Ensure the chosen shade doesn't clash with your natural lip color.

It is important to do a shade match in a dental lab that mimics natural light conditions and to avoid environmental factors such as bright lipstick, bright-colored clothing, shadowed light, etc.

Consider the size of the affected tooth

If the affected tooth is small, a slightly lighter shade of composite material may be used to make the tooth appear larger. On the other hand, if the affected tooth is large, a slightly darker shade of composite material may be used to create depth and dimension.

As the teeth dry out during treatment, their value (whiteness) increases while their chroma and translucency decrease. 56 Shade selection is contraindicated after using a curing light. Teeth should be dry when evaluating value, translucency, surface texture, and luster.

Avoid color distractions. Remove lipstick, use clear cheek retractors, light gray or blue bibs, and neutral colored gloves. Sit the patient upright and use ambient light. The ideal lighting should be between 5000° and 6000° Kelvin, with a CRI greater than 90.

An easy and accurate way to select the right composite shades is to use the composite- button technique. It consists in applying small pieces of composite on the tooth (without bonding agent) and light-curing them. In this way the shade closest to the one of the natural tooth can be determined.