Abstract
This study was designed to investigate the effects of pulp and different matters in pulp chambers such as core, posts, and artificial coloring cements on teeth color. Namely, we chromatically measured crowns and roots in 20 newly extracted maxillary anterior teeth. Using a spectroradiometer under the following 4 different conditions:(1) free from artificial matters (2) inserting red wax (3) inserting metal core (12% Pd alloy)(4) setting metal core with opaque cement. Further, extracted teeth were compared with natural teeth for crowns.
The results were as follows:
1. Extracted teeth have higher values of L*, Hab°, and lower a* than natural teeth. It is supposed that these results depend on the lack of hemoglobin in soft tissues.
2. Inserting metal core and red wax caused the decrease in L*. And red wax influenced in a* and Hab°.As for color difference, metal core greatly influenced both crowns and roots.
3. Effects of opaque cement appears more clearly in crowns than in roots.
4. These results revealed that, in both crowns and roots, teeth coloring had affected the pulp and matters in pulp chambers because of its transparency.
Therefore, it is important to consider the pulp's condition when treating an esthetic problem.
