Trying to match the shade of tooth has been an art form with so many variables that success has always been out of our control. The classic way to match the color of a tooth is to take a shade guide and hold it next to the tooth. A diagram of two or three colors is then drawn and sent to the laboratory for them to interpret and then create the restoration.

By using a spectrograph to analyze a tooth’s color, many errors of interpretation can be avoided. The SpectroShade system is a true spectrograph that records up to 1500 different points of color and creates a map of the tooth for the laboratory (See above, the numbers represent the various shades of the tooth).

After constructing the crown, the laboratory checks the color on their system, so they are sure of a match before returning the tooth. The results have been amazing.