Effect of the condition of adjacent teeth and shade tab combinations on teeth colorimetry

Abstract

We investigated the effect of the condition of adjacent teeth and combinations of shade tabs on the colorimetry of maxillary central incisors. For natural teeth, we considered two conditions: one with a masking device to conceal adjacent teeth and the other without masking. For shade tabs, we assessed two conditions: one with only one A2 shade tab and another with three A2 shade tabs. In addition, we explored various color combinations of the three shade tabs. Photographs were recorded using a digital camera in a dark room with no ambient light to ensure consistent conditions. The condition with the masked natural teeth and that with only one shade tab exhibited reduced levels of lightness and chroma, with a noticeable yellowish hue. No significant differences were noted in visual coloration among the different shade tab combinations. However, significant differences were noted in lightness, chroma, and hue angle. These results emphasize the importance of arranging shade tabs correctly when determining and recording the color of natural teeth, particularly when making visual shade comparisons. (J Osaka Dent Univ 2024; 58: 59-70)