OBJECTIVETo study the fitness of color dimension between Vitapan 3D-Master shade guides and nature teeth.

METHODS2,159 nature teeth from Nanjing population and Vitapan 3D-Master shade guides were analyzed by dental chromameter ShadeEye NCC on CIE L*a*b* color system.

RESULTS1) The color dimension of natural teeth displayed a broader range than those from Vitapan 3D-Master shade guides. Comparing with incisor group, canine-premolar group had better fitness with Vitapan 3D-Master shade guides. 2) In color space, incisor values a* shifted toward green (-a*), while the shade guide values a* located toward red (+a*). The shade guide lacked tabs of values L* 71-78 and a* -1.5-(-)0.2 for natural incisor. 3) According to the perceptibility threshold AE*ab<1.4, the match rates with Vitapan 3D-Master shade guides was 33% in incisor group and 50% in canine-premolar group.

CONCLUSIONVitapan 3D-Master shade guides had inferior match with nature teeth from Nanjing population, especially in incisor.