Assessment of perceptibility and acceptability of color variations between matched teeth among trainee dentist and lay person

AIM: The aim of this study was to find the difference in perceptibility and acceptability of changes done to various color coordinates of matched teeth, between trainee dental surgeons, and lay person. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A photograph with a set of matched central incisor teeth was selected. In one of the central incisors, the color coordinates (hue, value, and chroma) were altered to a preset value. These pictures were presented to trainee dental surgeons and lay person and their level of perception of color change and acceptance of color change was registered and compared. RESULTS: It was found that trainee dental surgeons fared better in perceiving the color change and accepted less of the color changed specimens. The dimension of color that was more discerned both by lay person and trainee dental surgeons was value, hue, and last chroma. CONCLUSION: When compared to a lay person, dental surgeons are more acute in perceiving color changes and do not accept the color difference between teeth to a higher degree.