Defining a natural tooth color space based on a 3-dimensional shade system

Statement of problem The natural tooth color space reported by a manufacturer may not represent the comprehensive spectrum of natural teeth for all population groups. Purpose The purpose of this study was to define a natural tooth color space within the Greater Buffalo, New York population and to compare that to the color space determined by a manufacturer. Material and methods Nine hundred and thirty-three maxillary central incisors (501 patients) were measured with a shade-taking device (Vita Easyshade). For each tooth, L*, a*, b* values, chroma, hue, and the closest shade (Vita 3D-Master) were recorded. A linear regression analysis was performed to determine how well the manufacturer's values predict actual values for L*, a*, and b*. Color differences (ΔE*) between the Buffalo population and the closest shade were also calculated. A 1-sample t test was used to determine whether the color differences seen in the sample were statistically different from the perceptibility threshold, ΔE*=3.7 (α=.05). Results All 3 attributes of the Buffalo population displayed a broader range than those from the shade guide. However, the regression analysis revealed a significantly positive relationship between the L*, a*, and b* values of the 2 methods ( P