Visual Versus Digital Tooth Color Matching II

Objectives: The determination of tooth color plays an important role in order to avoid additional time and extra costs. The aim of this study was to find out, whether there is a significant difference between visual to digital color matching.

Methods: 46 preclinical students of dentistry of the dental schools in Berlin, Dresden, Greifswald, Leipzig and Olomouc (male = 15, female = 31, average age of 24) participated in this study. All participants passed the Ishihara–Test to identify color handicapped students. Following, they exercised visual tooth color matching using Toothguide Trainer, TT, and Toothguide Training Box, TTB. Subsequently they determined tooth color at tooth 12, FDI-position, which was extremely discolored after an accident and root channel filling. The procedure was always performed at the same patient, using the VITA Vitapan classical color scale, VC, VITA 3D-Master color scale, 3D, as well as VITA Easyshade V.

Results: The statistical evaluation using the paired t-test showed mean value of 7.898 and a standard deviation of 3.636 for VC. 3D revealed a mean value of 6.386 and a standard deviation of 4.760. The 95 percent two-tailed confidence interval for difference of means yielded values of 0.364 to 2.661. The two-tailed p-value was at 0.011. There was a statistically significant change between using VC and 3D (p=0.011).

Conclusions: Comparing trained test persons, performing exercises at TT and TTB in visual tooth color matching to the results of digital measuring device VITA Easyshade V, there is a statistical significant difference in comparing results of VC to Easyshade and of 3D to Easyshade.
Due to the limitation of this study, visual tooth color matching may be successful as digital one, specially using 3D-Master color scale. These results confirm the outcome of our former investigations.