Abstract
The aim of this study was to compare the brightness of a prosthesis when tested with water, which is often used as a simple test material, with that of a cementation system, and to clarify relative differential of the brightness. A female patient presented with a chief complaint of esthetic dissatisfaction of the maxillary left lateral incisor, for which a laminate veneer restoration was selected. Before laminate veneers (IPS e.max press MT BL3: Ivoclar Vivadent) were applied, they were tested with three different types (L-Value, M-Value and H-Value) of BeautiCem Try-in paste (Shofu) along with water. The brightness was measured visually and calorimetrically (using SpectroShade, SpectroShade USA). When the prosthetic device was tested with water, the L* value was 70.9 and with BeautiCem Try-in, the L-Value, M-Value and H-Value were 72.3, 73.7 and 74.0 respectively. The color distance Δ E*ab between water and other materials was L-Value: 1.6, M-Value: 3.0 and H-Value: 3.2. The perceptive threshold, which is the color distance that 50% of observers can recognize, corresponds to Δ E*ab=1.80, and the tolerance threshold, which is the color distance that 50% of observers can tolerate, is E*ab=3.46. Compared to these threshold values, the color distance between water and L-Value is within the perceptual threshold and the color difference cannot be recognized. On the other hand, the color distance between water, M-Value and H-Value is within the tolerable threshold but above the perceptual threshold, so the color difference can be recognized. In comparison with adjacent teeth, the b* values of both the central incisor and canine were higher and different, but the L* value of tooth restored with BeautiCem Try-in L-Value was similar. The patient was satisfied with the result of esthetic restoration with application of BeautiCem Veneer L-Value, which harmonized with the color tone of the adjacent teeth. It was concluded that L-Value should be selected for this cementation system if the balance with the adjacent teeth was satisfactory in the water test as the brightness of the L-Value was similar to that of the water test.
