Time to change the shade tab arrangement of shade guides? A study

• Published in: International journal of stomatology & occlusion medicine Vol. 5; no. 3; pp. 115 - 118
• Main Authors: Al-Enazi, Talal Awayed, Naik, Amit V.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Vienna Springer Vienna 01.09.2012; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Dentistry; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Original Article; Value; Hue; Shade matching; Shade guide; Chroma
• ISSN: 1867-2221; 1867-223X
• DOI: 10.1007/s12548-012-0052-9

Background The objective of this study was to estimate the accuracy of shade matching with the classical arrangement of shade tabs and compare it with the arrangement based on value and to determine the need for change in shade tab arrangement in the shade guide. Methods In this study 34 qualified restorative dentists and prosthodontists (29 males and 5 females) associated with fixed prosthodontics were selected and 3 sets of Vita classical shade guides were used: set 1 (eight shade tabs as target shades), set 2 (eight shade tabs arranged according to hue, chroma) and set 3 (eight shade tabs arranged according to value). Each tab of set 1 had to be matched with each tab of set 2 and set 3. The shade selection was done under the same standard conditions for all dental staff. The data were analyzed using Fischer’s exact test and sensitivity analysis were used to check the accuracy of the shade selection (α = 0.05). Results A 56.98 % accuracy of shade matching was estimated with the hue/chroma arrangement and 56.25 % accuracy with value-based arrangement. Conclusions No statistically significant differences were found in accuracy for both arrangements. A similar accuracy was estimated for both arrangements. There is therefore no need to change the shade tab arrangement by the manufacturer. The study can be extended to evaluate the comparison of accuracy of male and female subjects, comparison with other specialists not involved in prosthodontics, effect and influence of various sources of light on shade matching and influence of eye fatigue on shade selection.