Color selection can be a tricky thing. It took me a year to decide on a color for my kitchen, and that was after buying seven sample cans of paint to try on the wall. I can only imagine how challenging it must be as a dental professional to choose a tooth color for a patient, with the added complication of matching it to the various existing shadings and gradations in a patient’s mouth.
In fact, a dental professional can be confident that a patient’s tooth and a chosen filling color are the same—they look the same in the exam room, and even under bright light.
But perception can be deceptive, and later the patient may find that in a new lighting situation, the filling actually does not match after all. And that realization can compromise the patient’s comfort while talking, laughing or smiling.
Color matching has traditionally been a subjective process, as dental professionals have relied on color tabs to select the right shade for a restoration. However, those tabs don’t account for factors that complicate the process, such as the translucency and opalescence of the patient’s surrounding teeth. Not only does the tab method not account for the complexity of color, it also relies on the dental professional not having some eye fatigue or even slightly compromised color perception.
However, the AdDent Rite-Lite 2 Shade Matching Unit with Hi Color Rendering Index introducesa new level of scientific objectivity to color selection. The wireless, battery-operated handheld light allows the dental professional to view the patient’s teeth and shade selection under three lighting conditions: north sky daylight (5500°K), incandescent (3200°K) and ambient (3900°K), so you can test your color choice under the real-world lighting conditions in which your patient will likely be showing off that restoration. You won’t find that level of lighting range and accuracy using a tab and the light from a nearby window. Plus, the Rite-Lite 2 can be effective for even particularly challenging cases where the condition of the patient’s surrounding teeth can complicate the color-selection process.
In the end, the patient is happier with the finished filling, and is able to show off your superior skills every time he or she smiles.
To learn more about AdDent’s Rite-Lite Shade Matching Unit with Hi Color Rendering Index, call AdDent at 855-211-3413, ext. 104, or visit www.addent.com.
