EVALUATION OF SHADE SELECTION ACCURACY: A COMPARATIVE STUDY USING SMARTPHONE CAMERAS AND VISUAL METHOD

Abstract

Objective: To assess the accuracy of shade selection through smartphone cameras using a smartphone application and to compare the results with the visual method.

Methodology: Two VITA classical A1-D4® shade guides (VITA North America) were used, one as a control and the other as a test shade guide in which the tabs were masked to hide the shade color and arranged randomly. Each of the 30 participants selected the best shade match of the test tabs with the control shade guide. For digital shade matching, shade tabs of the shade guide were individually mounted and pictures were taken using three different smartphones and the Lab values were recorded using Color Picker® App. The shade code of the reference tab with the smallest color difference from the test tab was manually identified and labeled as the correct match.

Results: The visual method achieved 56.9% correct shade matching while it was 77.08% by the digital method. Individually, it was 87.5% , 93.75% and 50% for phone A, B and C respectively. The comparison among the three phones showed a statistically significant difference in the results of phone C.

Conclusion: Color Picker® app offers a successful and straightforward way for dental shade selection. The results enforce that utilizing a smartphone application for shade matching could be a practical approach for selecting shades in a dental clinic.