Dental color matching instruments and systems. Review of clinical and research aspects.

OBJECTIVES To review current status of hand held systems for tooth color matching in vivo and corresponding research. SOURCES "Medline" database from 1981 to 2010 were searched electronically with key words tooth, teeth, color and dentistry. CONCLUSION Spectrophotometers, colorimeters and imaging systems are useful and relevant tools for tooth color measurement and analysis, and for quality control of color reproduction. Different measurement devices either measure the complete tooth surface providing a "color map" or an "average" color of the limited area [3-5mm] on the tooth surface. These instruments are useful tools in color analysis for direct or indirect restorations, communication for indirect restorations, reproduction and verification of shade. Whenever possible, both instrumental and visual color matching method should be used, as they complement each other and can lead towards predictable esthetic outcome.