Satisfaction of Dental Students, Faculty, and Patients with Tooth Shade‐Matching Using a Spectrophotometer

Abstract

The aims of this study were to evaluate dental students' clinical shade-matching outcomes (from subjective use of shade guide) with an objective electronic shade-matching tool (spectrophotometer); to assess patients', students', and supervising faculty members' satisfaction with the clinical shade-matching outcomes; and to assess clinicians' support for use of the spectrophotometer to improve esthetic outcomes. A total of 103 volunteer groups, each consisting of patient, dental student, and supervising faculty member at the University of Louisville, were recruited to participate in the study in 2015. Using the spectrophotometer, clinical shade-matching outcome (ΔE) and laboratory shade-matching outcome (ΔE) were calculated. Two five-point survey items were used to assess the groups' satisfaction with the clinical shade-matching outcome and support for an objective electronic shade-matching tool in the student clinic. The results showed that both ΔE (6.5±2.4) and ΔE (4.3±2.0) were outside the clinical acceptability threshold ΔE values of 2.7, when visual shade-matching method (subjective usage of shade guide) was used to fabricate definitive restorations. Characteristics of the patients, dental students, supervising faculty members, and restorations had minimal to no effect on the ΔE The patients, dental students, and supervising faculty members generally had positive opinions about the clinical shade-matching outcome, despite the increased ΔE observed. Overall, clinical shade-matching outcomes in this school need further improvement, but the patients' positive opinions may indicate the need to revisit the acceptability threshold ΔE value of 2.7 in the academic setting.

An Overview of Shade Selection in Clinical Dentistry

“…Colorimeters record tri-stimulus values and filter light in red, green and blue regions of the visible spectrum. Colorimeters are not capable of recording spectral reflectance and their accuracy can be diminished because of over usage of the filters as compared to spectrophotometers [47]. A colorimeter presents a complete measurement of light absorbed; however, a spectrophotometer quantifies the light absorbed at differing wavelengths [48].…”

CLINICAL EVALUATION AND PATIENT SATISFACTION OF SHADE MATCHING BETWEEN NATURAL TEETH AND MONOLITHIC ALL-CERAMIC CROWNS FABRICATED FROM TWO MATERIALS (Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial)

“…These results might be reasonable due to the strict protocol followed during shade selection process and the alpha score of ideal shade matching obtained by the prosthodontists evaluators. 20 stated that patient reported superior satisfaction results which may have been affected by the light shade of the restoration. Contradicting to our study results, a study by Shah et al, 2014 21 who found that the overall patient satisfaction rating were moderate and suggested that the level of patient education may have affected the final results as participants with secondary and tertiary level of education were more satisfied with the color of their final restoration compared to participants with primary level of education.…”

Retrospective Evaluation of Different Shade Selection Methods in the Context of the Vital Bleaching Technique

“…Shade detection instruments, such as colorimeters and spectrophotometers, have subsequently been introduced into dentistry. Researchers have reported equivocal outcomes when using colour-measuring devices, with some authors suggesting that these devices do not provide reliable results ( 14), and others reporting good accuracy (15).…”