Modeling the Relationship Between Tooth Color and Skin Color in Equations to Predict Tooth Color

Ryhana Mohammmad Zakir Hiyat Moazam; Zuryati Ab-Ghani; Wan Muhamad Amir W Ahmad; Mohamad Syahrizal Halim; Nafij Bin Jamayet; Matheel Al-Rawas

doi:10.7759/cureus.26466

Modeling the Relationship Between Tooth Color and Skin Color in Equations to Predict Tooth Color

Cureus. 2022 Jun 30;14(6):e26466. doi: 10.7759/cureus.26466. eCollection 2022 Jun.

Authors

Ryhana Mohammmad Zakir Hiyat Moazam¹, Zuryati Ab-Ghani^{1

2}, Wan Muhamad Amir W Ahmad³, Mohamad Syahrizal Halim⁴, Nafij Bin Jamayet⁵, Matheel Al-Rawas^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ Prosthodontic Unit, School of Dental Sciences, Health Campus, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kelantan, MYS.
² Prosthodontic Unit, Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kelantan, MYS.
³ School of Dental Sciences, Health Campus, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kelantan, MYS.
⁴ Conservative Dentistry Unit, School of Dental Sciences, Health Campus, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kelantan, MYS.
⁵ Division of Restorative Dentistry, School of Dentistry, International Medical University, Kuala Lumpur, MYS.

Abstract

Background Color selection for discolored teeth or for edentulous patients is a subjective process in dentistry. To the best of the authors' knowledge, there is no objective method for tooth color selection for edentulous patients. Several studies have investigated the relationship between tooth color and skin color and the ability to use skin color as a guide to select tooth color in dental rehabilitation cases. The objective of this study was to find and model the relationship between tooth color and skin color in equations to be able to predict tooth color by assessing skin color. Methodology This study was done on 150 participants with equal gender distribution. Digital photography with soft boxes and strobe lights were used to measure tooth and skin color. Digital photography was performed in a dark room with controlled and measured lighting sources and strength. A calibration board was used to create two calibration profiles in software. All photos were calibrated in Adobe Lightroom software. Then, color measurement was done using Adobe Photoshop software in the Commission International de I'Eclarirage (CIELab) system. Results There were positive significant relationships in color spaces L* and a* between tooth color and skin color, and an inverted significant relationship in color space b* between tooth and skin. Three equations with excellent reliability were formulated in this study to predict tooth color by assessing skin color. Conclusions The relationship between tooth color and skin color was modeled in three equations. For edentulous patients, this research might be useful in detecting the proper tooth color and transferring the CIELab color data to dental technicians for further processing. Computerized shade matching and prediction dental software may be designed using these equations.

Keywords: dental color measurement; dental photography; digital color measurement; esthetics dentistry; skin color; tooth color; tooth color measurement; tooth rehabilitation.