Clinical aspects of comparative spectrophotometric analysis in the selection of the colour of acrylic teeth in removable dentures

Introduction
Tooth colour selection is one of the critical elements that guarantees a patient’s satisfaction of a prosthetic restoration. There are different possible methods used in dental colour selection; however, each of them has some disadvantages.

Objectives
The aim of the study was to compare the results of tooth colour selection carried out by means of two independent spectrophotometers using the same 3D-Master scale.

Material and methods
The material of the study included 100 prosthetic acrylic teeth by Wiedent, divided into two equal groups (50 each) of different colours. The colour of each tooth was examined by means of two spectrophotometers: Easyshade and SpectroShade.

Results
The results of the study revealed no significant difference in hue selection between both instruments, but there were significant differences in brightness and colour intensity selection between spectrophotometers.

Conclusions
On the basis of the study we can conclude that the instrumental method of tooth colour selection is an objective and efficient alternative to the classical visual method, but it is still not free of errors. The results of the study confirm the high utility of the spectrophotometers in tooth colour selection in dentistry, but also reveal some differences between devices from various producers. According to the results of the study, the objectivity of spectrophotometers is limited, and it is recommended that dentists use both visual and instrumental methods simultaneously.