title: Assessing the accuracy of computer color matching with a new dental porcelain shade system.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In a previous study, a novel computer color matching system for dental ceramic restoration was developed, and 21 new shades were established. Theoretically, a natural tooth color can be accurately reproduced by combining 2 or 3 ceramic mixtures from the database of 21 new shades.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to test the use of these shades in conjunction with the computer color matching system to determine their ability to accurately reproduce the body color of 29 shade tabs from a shade guide (VITAPAN 3D-Master).
  
  
  METHODS
  Disks of 21 reference shades were prepared with porcelain (Cerabien CZR) and polished to 1.0 mm thickness. A spectrophotometer was used to measure the reflectance values from 380 to 780 nm for each disk; the scattering coefficient and absorption coefficient were determined. By using the reflectance values and the scattering and absorption coefficients, the computer color matching program generated porcelain prescriptions incorporating proportions from the 21 reference shades to reproduce the shade tabs. Disks were fabricated from the prescriptions, polished to 1.0 mm thickness, then placed over a zirconia core plate and measured with the spectrophotometer. The color differences (ΔE*) between the shade tabs and the corresponding ceramic disks were calculated. Statistical analysis was performed with the 1-sample t test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The ΔE* values between computer color matching specimens and the target shade tabs varied from 0.5 to 1.9, with an average ΔE* of 1.3, which was significantly less than the clinically detectable ΔE* threshold of 1.6 (P<.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The computer color matching system with the established 21 new shades is accurate and effective for reproducing tooth shades.
authors.affiliation: Visiting Assistant Professor, Department of Restorative Dentistry and Biomaterials Sciences, Harvard School of Dental Medicine; and Assistant Professor, Department of Prosthodontics, West China College of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
authors.forename: Jian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Predoctoral student, Harvard School of Dental Medicine, Boston, Mass.
authors.forename: Jin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Resident, Department of Oral Medicine, Infection, and Immunity, Harvard School of Dental Medicine, Boston, Mass.
authors.forename: Mindy
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gil
authors.affiliation: Resident, Department of Oral Medicine, Infection, and Immunity, Harvard School of Dental Medicine, Boston, Mass.
authors.forename: Alison
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Seliger
authors.affiliation: Assistant Professor and Department Head, Department of Restorative Dentistry and Biomaterials Sciences, Harvard School of Dental Medicine, Boston, Mass.
authors.forename: John D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Da Silva
authors.affiliation: Assistant Professor, Department of Restorative Dentistry and Biomaterials Sciences, Harvard School of Dental Medicine, Boston, Mass. Electronic address: shigemi_nagai@hsdm.harvard.edu.
authors.forename: Shigemi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ishikawa-Nagai
mesh_terms: D003116:Color / Q000592:standards; D017076:Computer-Aided Design / Q000592:standards; D003764:Dental Materials / Q000737:chemistry; D003775:Dental Polishing / Q000379:methods; D003776:Dental Porcelain / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D017797:Prosthesis Coloring / Q000295:instrumentation; D012542:Scattering, Radiation; D012984:Software / Q000592:standards; D013053:Spectrophotometry / Q000379:methods; D014070:Tooth / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D015040:Zirconium / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D003764:Dental Materials; D003776:Dental Porcelain; D015040:Zirconium; C028541:zirconium oxide