‌Differences in color perception among dental students of Rafsanjan in 2003

‌Differences in color perception among dental students of Rafsanjan in 2003 Dr. M. Sadeghi* * - Assistant professor of Operative Dentistry Dept.- Faculty of Dentistry - Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences. Background and aim: The selection of proper restoration shade and color matching to the natural teeth is one of the most complex and trustrating problems in esthetic dentistry. The goal of this study was to compare the differences in color perception among students of Rafsanjan dental faculty in 2003. Materials and Methods:122 students (62 males and 60 females) with normal color vision were selected. In this descriptive cross-sectional study, Vita lumin shade guide, consisting of 16 different shade tabs, which were named randomly number 1 to 16, was used. Four shade tabs from Z-100 shade guide (A3, B2 C3 and D4) were randomly selected as test tabs and named A, B, C and D. Each student should compare the middle third of each test tab to body shade of Vita lumin tab under similar daylight condition. The same test was administered 2 and 4 months later. Information about sex, year of education and wearing glasses and lens were also collected for each case. Mean number of correct matching was compared through t-test. Results:The mean number of correct color selection at first, second and third times were, 252 (%51.6), 265 (%54.3) and 287 (%58.8), respectively. No statistically signiticant difference was found between first- second and second - third times, however, significant difference existed between one - third times( p<0.05). In males, the mean of correct color selection among 4 colors were 1.91, 1.99 and 2.23 and in females were 2.23, 2.35 and 2.47, respectively, with no significant difference at each time. There was also no siginficant difference in the mean of correct color selection according to sex, year of education and wearing of glasses and lens among students at each time. Conclusion: The students were totally able to match correct shade selection as %54.9, no statistically significant differences exsisted between girls and boys and shade determination through human vision at different times was significantly different. Key Words: Shade selection - Color perception - Esthetic dentistry - Students.