![A dentist using a shade guide to color-match a dental crown](https://www.avdentalramseynj.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/AdobeStock_162289400__1717712144_49043.jpg)
If you’re considering a dental crown treatment, you’ll likely start to wonder what goes into it. So, there’s a good chance you’re questioning how dentists color-match dental crowns to your grin. Knowing the answer would assure you that your final results blend with all your other teeth. Luckily enough, your local Ramsey dentist can share the facts on this matter. Just keep reading to learn how dentistry color-matches dental crowns to a patient’s smile.
How Dentists Color-Match Dental Crowns
Generally, modern dentists do three things to choose a dental crown’s final shade. These are the following:
Assess Your Tooth Under Natural Light
Often, a dentist will decide a dental crown’s color while under natural light. Doing so lets them get the most accurate read of your tooth’s shade. Incandescent lights would interfere with that close assessment, as they are very yellow and make colors appear differently. Picking a crown’s shade while under them could lead to a smile with a mismatched tooth.
Compare Your Tooth to a Shade Guide
The most common dental tool for color matching is a shade guide, a metal card with fake porcelain teeth of many shades. A dentist often holds this guide by your smile to compare its natural shade to the examples. During this process, they’ll usually determine your tooth’s value and find the hue and chroma. The dentists will then wrap up this comparison once they find a similar shade.
Reduce Contrast with Other Colors
While using the shade guide, a dentist may reduce any contrast that could interfere with the color selection. For instance, they may drape you in a gray bib if you’re wearing brightly-colored clothes. They could also ask you to remove any bright lipstick or makeup on your face. With either action, they’d remove the nearby interference and give their eyes a neutral resting place between looks at your teeth.
How Do Dental Crowns Get Colored?
Once they’ve completed the steps above, a dentist can decide on your crown’s color. They’ll then send the relevant information (including drawings and photos of your teeth) to a dental lab. From there, an expert ceramist will create a crown with the right shade for your smile. It won’t be a perfect match, but any differences should be almost invisible.
By now, you can trust dentists to color-match dental crowns for your grin. Contact your local one so you can enjoy a color-matching crown for yourself!
About the Practice
About the Practice
AV Dental Associates is based in Ramsey, NJ. Led by Dr. Arash Vahid, our office provides top-tier customized dentistry for its patients. Our range of services spans preventive, cosmetic, and restorative dentistry, as well as emergency dental care. Whether you need a dental checkup or a dental crown, you can trust our team to meet your oral needs! For more details or to book a visit, reach us at our website or by phone at (201)-962-8452.