Shade Selection

Major challenges in cosmetic dentistry are to accomplish appropriate and satisfactory reproduction of natural shade of teeth. The procedure of choosing a shade can be performed using visual method or by an instrument. The kind of shade guide, individual ability to choose shades and conditions the choice is made under, all have influence on reliability and accuracy of the procedure. Therefore, it is necessary to introduce instrumental color determination in everyday work. They include RGB devices, colorimeters, spectrophotometers. The impact of the color science can be seen on various restorative materials ranging from ceramics to maxillofacial prosthetic materials. Good communication between the dental team of all these details is paramount to a successful aesthetic result. Shade matching is inherently complex and involves understanding the science of color, determining the shade and surface characteristics of teeth, and communicating this information to the laboratory technician. The laboratory technician then has the difficult task of mimicking the selected shade and ultimately reproducing it in the final restoration.