Development of a novel dental shade determination application

Determining the shade of dental materials is a challenging requirement for the restorative dentist. Improper shade selection is the second cause for laboratory remakes, resulting in inefficiency and additional cost, and unnecessary stress for the clinician and patient. The process of shade selection is somewhat subjective, with no consensus on the protocol. This research investigation aimed to develop a novel software application to provide an accurate, objective, and systematic approach to shade determination for teeth, soft tissues, and dental materials. An IOS software application was developed, termed Smile Shade, to facilitate a simple approach for dental shade determination. Smile Shade functions on a high-dynamic-range microcolor sensor with automatic temperature control and inter-device repeatability of <1.0 ∆E. The determination of shade is completed through the evaluation of color based on CMYK, RGB, and LAB, which are different techniques of storing colors. Further research is underway to compare this novel application to the traditional shade tab approach commonly practiced at most dental schools.