Shade Selection for Indirect Esthetic Restorations
Course Number: 690
Course Contents
Digital Cameras
The latest innovation for dental shade matching involves the use of digital camera technology (Fig. 36).1,7 The cameras used for digital shade matching are usually equipped with three separate sensors that have a filter over each of them.39 The standardized digital images are recorded with the digital camera, exported to a computer, and then analyzed using imaging software.48 These cameras are capable of shade matching across the entire spectrum of color space for natural teeth.69
Fig. 36 - DSLR Camera with Lens
The advantage of using a digital camera for shade matching is that the process is objective and efficient.1 In addition, the recorded images can be stored digitally and easily shared with dental laboratories, thereby ensuring proper communication and decreasing the risk of inaccuracies in the fabrication process.66 However, color-matching accuracy is dependent on several factors including the quality of the camera, its calibrations, type of lens, illumination sources, color temperatures, ambient light, and the image-processing method.38,64 If the practitioner is not properly trained in photography and image analysis, there may be errors in image capture and/or shade interpretation resulting in a shade mismatch. Additionally, the cost of high-quality digital cameras and associated equipment may deter their use by many practitioners.1 Digital photography can be an ideal adjunctive tool for the dentist and laboratory technician for shade matching.1