Objectives: selection of the correct shade of a resin composite restorative material is a challenge in esthetic dentistry. Aim of this study was to evaluate the correspondence the shade indication of three structurally different resin composites with the Vita shade guide. Methods: the following materials were selected for the trial: Gradia (G) (GC, Tokio, Japan), Tetric Ceram (T) (Ivoclar, Schaan, Liechtenstein) and Supreme (S) (3M, St. Paul, MN, USA). For these products, 6 Vita shade were selected: A2, A3, A3.5, A4, B2, B3. For each product at each color, the samples were made with a proprietary mold that allowed to obtain samples of resin composite products with the same size and shape of the Vita shade guide samples. The samples were measured in the CIE L*a*b* system with a dental color measuring device (SpectroShade, MHT, Ch) and the differences in color were calculated using the formula DeltaE=((L1-L2)2+(a1-a2)2+(b1-b2)2) 1/2 (Clarke, 1983). Results: the results (table) have to be regarded with the consideration that DeltaE=3.3 is considered the limit for the eye in appreciating a difference in color. All the system tested showed an high degree of comparison mismatch when compared with Vita Shade Guide. Supreme showed the higher degree of comparison mismatch. A deeper analysis of the results showed that the high mismatch of Supreme was mainly due to DeltaL* value. This study showed that 83% of the color comparisons performed mismatch on an eye-appreciable level. Supreme showed L* values significantly lower than the corresponding Vita color. Conclusion: fabrication of custom shade guide is strictly recommended as all the materials tested showed a significant mismatch with the corresponding Vita shade.

Back to the Scientific Program Program
Back to the Joint Meeting of the Continental European, Israeli, and Scandinavian (NOF) Divisions of the IADR (August 25 -- 28, 2004)

Top Level Search