Shade compatibility of esthetic restorative materials--A review

Objectives: The objectives of this study were to review the shade compatibility of esthetic restorative materials and to provide a visual method to harmonize the color of them.

Methods: Published reports on the color ranges and distributions of shade guides, color differences between restorative materials and the referenced shade guides, and those between the identical shade designated restorative materials were reviewed.

Results: Several limitations in shade guides should be considered in color matching such as (1) color ranges and distributions of shade guides are different from those of human teeth, (2) arrangements of shade tabs in shade guides are not ideally logical, and (3) color of marketed esthetic restorative materials and the referenced shade tabs is significantly different. Color coordinates of restorative materials of the identical shade designations vary by the kind and brand of the restorative materials. Color differences between restorative materials and the referenced shade guides and those between the identical shade designated restorative materials are generally higher than perceptible limits. A visual color harmonization method was suggested, and the considerations for the instrumental color harmonization were provided.

Significance: Visual color matching would result in color mismatching by the kind and brand of the restorative materials. The first step to improve the color matching performance would be the harmonization of the color of restorative materials with those of the corresponding shade tabs.