Spectrophotometric study of the relationship between body porcelain color and applied metallic oxide pigments.

I t is unlikely that anyone is able to measure objectively a porcelain restoration by a number that represents how lifelike it appears. The restorative dentist must assess the elements that cause the subjective impression of “naturalness” in a tooth to fabricate a restoration that will produce the natural effect. The dentist relies on external and internal tinting techniques to modify the color of existing porcelain restorations. The color of natural teeth in vitro has been measured objectively in several studies, some using a spectrophotometer.le3 The colors of both available dental porcelains and shade guides have similarly been measured.’ In the final analysis, however, the dentist’s subjective judgment determines the color of a restoration. To discuss color from an objective point of view, a