Key Points
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One of the most challenging aspects of restorative dentistry is colour assessment and its reproduction.
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An increasing number of computer-based instruments for shade selection have entered the market.
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Manufacturers claim that these instruments remove the subjectivity associated with visual shade mapping and facilitate more consistent and accurate measurements.
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This clinical investigation assessed the ability of three tooth colour measuring devices to repeat their own results under standardised clinical conditions.
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Spectroshade Micro™ was the most repeatable device tested.
Abstract
Objective The objective of this study was to undertake a clinical evaluation of the individual repeatability of three colour measuring devices.
Design Clinical study.
Setting Eastman Dental Hospital.
Methods Under standardised clinical conditions, one trained operator using three colour measuring devices (Vita Easyshade, X-Rite ShadeVision and Spectroshade Micro) recorded three shade measurements (cervical, body and incisal) for each of the upper maxillary anterior teeth in 20 participants. This sequence of measurements was repeated for each of the shade machines. The output recorded from each sequence included Vita classic shades and CIE Lab co-ordinates. Ethical approval was obtained from the joint University College London and University College London Hospitals.
Results Spectroshade Micro had good agreement Cohen Kappa score (0.80) for repeatability of Vita shades and also had 82.7% proportion of complete agreement for Vita shades. The proportion of complete agreement for Vita shades for the Easyshade and X-Rite ShadeVision machine were 50% and 59% respectively. For CIE Lab co-ordinates the Spectroshade Micro provided the narrowest range of 'Bland and Altman' agreement limits for all the co-ordinates recorded.
Conclusion The Spectroshade Micro machine provided the most repeatable measurements. Narrower limits of agreement indicate greater consistency compared to Easyshade and X-Rite ShadeVision.
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Khurana, R., Tredwin, C., Weisbloom, M. et al. A clinical evaluation of the individual repeatability of three commercially available colour measuring devices. Br Dent J 203, 675–680 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1038/bdj.2007.1108
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/bdj.2007.1108
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