Parmar D, Mackenzie L, Bonsor SJ The art of clinical shade matching of resin-based composite materials. Aesthet Update. 2024; 1:113-120 https://doi.org/10.12968/aedu.2024.1.3.113
Ongul D, Sermet B, Balkaya MC Visual and instrumental evaluation of color match ability of 2 shade guides on a ceramic system. J Prosthet Dent. 2012; 108:9-14 https://doi.org/10.1016/S0022-3913(12)60102-4
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The art of clinical shade matching of indirect restorative materials. Part 3 Stephen J Bonsor Dipesh Parmar Louis Mackenzie Aesthetic Update 2025 2:1, 15-20.
Authors
Stephen JBonsor
BDS(Hons) MSc FHEA FDS RCPS(Glasg) FDFTEd FCGDent, GDP
BDS(Hons), MSc, FHEA, FDS RCPS(Glasg), FDFTEd, FCGDent, GDP, Teviot Dental Practice, Hawick; Programme Director/Senior Clinical Lecturer, University of Edinburgh
In order to deliver fixed or removable prostheses to match the surrounding natural dentition as accurately as possible, both the clinician and dental technician must be aware of the factors that may affect the optical properties of the substrates, and hence the selection of the most appropriate shade. The present article is concerned with reviewing how the shades of the artificial teeth or fixed prostheses may be chosen most predictably, offering tips as to how this may be achieved and emphasizing good communication between clinician and dental technician.
CPD/Clinical Relevance: The art of shade matching is a fundamental clinical skill in restorative dentistry to ensure that the best possible aesthetic outcome is achieved when working with indirect restorative materials such as ceramics and acrylics.
Article
The present article will provide an overview containing practical recommendations on how to predictably and accurately shade match to the natural dental hard tissues when working with indirect restorative materials such as ceramics and acrylics.
The present article is the third of a series of three. The first was concerned with the physics behind the art of shade determination and illustrated how this underpins clinical practice.1 The second article described in detail how to get the best results when shade matching using a resin-based composite.2 The reader is recommended to review these publications that provide context and fundamental information, which underpins much of the subject matter covered in this article. The present article examines in depth how indirect restorative materials, such as ceramics and acrylics, may be accurately and predictably matched to complement the dental hard tissues of the adjacent teeth. In addition, an imperceptible transition between the natural tooth tissue of the tooth being restored and perhaps the gingival tissues with the fixed or removeable prosthesis is also required.
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