Dr Nataasha Chandiramani
shape and surface texture are considered to be the most important determinants for successful aesthetic integration. A restoration with the correct shape and surface texture is likely to integrate with the residual dentition successfully even when small color disparities exist.While tooth color is not considered to be the prime factor determining successful aesthetic integration, it is still a vital component and certainly the most complicated parameter. Historically, color matching has been fraught with confusion and no single model has provided an exact solution to the problem of matching the color of the restorative materials to that of natural dentition. Color in dentistry has been defined using shade guides based on the 1898 theory of Munsell’s three color dimensions – hue, chroma and value. Value, however, was never taken into consideration clinically which resulted in restorations that appear flat and lack luminosity. Moreover, the typical shade guides do not represent the body and thickness of natural tooth anatomy. Unraveling this dilemma, Dr Lorenzo Vanini later introduced the chromatic chart by canceling reflected light with a polarizing filter thus making it possible to visualize not three but five color dimensions within the tooth. This analysis realized a stratification technique that incorporates dentin and enamel materials and tints to create restorations that mimic nature. This presentation will familiarize the audience with the five color dimensions, developing personalized shade guides, the button technique and Vanini’s stratification technique along with a run through of cases.
