Statement of problem: Dentists are constantly challenged by the need to satisfy the patients' esthetic demand with regard to selection of the correct dental shade. Differences among visual perception and acceptability of color differences between natural tooth shade and fabricated crowns have prompted the scientific community to determine the correlation between instrumental and visual assessment of color. Objective: This study was designed to determine the correlation between instrumentally measured color difference and visual perception and acceptability of shade matching in metal ceramic and all ceramic restorations in an animal model. Methods: A total of 12 single crowns were fabricated (6 MCC, 6 ACC) with shades close to and varying from natural tooth shade. 41 observers were asked with regards to the perception of difference between these crowns and natural tooth and their clinical acceptability. CIE-Lab color coordinates were determined spectrophotometrically using the natural tooth as a standard to be compared with the fabricated crowns. Results: The percentage of perception and acceptability of each crown was determined relative to the natural tooth. The most visually acceptable crown had a percentage of (87.8%) while the instrumental measurement had DE=1.36 which is considered clinically acceptable. Crowns that were considered acceptable by 50% of the observers showed an instrumental measurement DE £2. Observers were more sensitive and critical to crowns whose colors differ in yellow-blue axis. All ceramic crowns showed better acceptability results. Conclusions: Specimens constructed from all ceramic system exhibited shade matches superior to those with metal ceramic system. A DE value £2 showed a high percentage of clinical acceptability. The visual assessment of shade matching recorded a close creditability to the instrumental color measurement if the proper approach. A better understanding of basic color science is needed to provide the patients with better possible results.

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