Custom Shade Selection
Custom Dental Shade Procedure
A custom dental shade appointment allows patients to visit the dental laboratory for a personalized color and characterization assessment by a skilled ceramist. This process is especially valuable for highly aesthetic restorations—such as crowns, veneers, and bridges—ensuring a seamless and natural-looking match with the patient’s existing teeth.
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1. Initial Custom Shade Appointment
Creating the right environment. The ceramist prepares a neutral setting to achieve the most accurate color perception. Bright colors are minimized, natural daylight or color-corrected lighting is used, and patients are asked to remove brightly colored makeup.
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Analyzing tooth color. Using a professional shade guide (such as Vita 3D Master or Vita Classical), the ceramist evaluates three key elements of tooth color:
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Value: Brightness or darkness of the tooth—the most important factor for natural appearance.
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Chroma: The intensity or saturation of the shade.
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Hue: The actual color tone (e.g., reddish-brown, grayish).
Documenting details. High-resolution photographs are taken with a professional camera, macro lens, and flash to capture the selected shade tabs and unique features like translucency, texture, or surface markings (e.g., white spots, craze lines). The stump shade (the underlying prepared tooth) is also recorded, as it directly influences the final restoration’s color.
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2. Fabrication & Optional Verification
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Crafting the restoration. Using the documented shades, photographs, and notes, the dental technician fabricates the restoration with precision and artistry. Multiple porcelain layers are built to replicate the depth, translucency, and natural nuances of the tooth.
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Bisque stage. The restoration is fired to a “bisque” stage—near completion but not yet glazed.
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Verification appointment (optional). For complex or highly visible cases, the patient may return for a verification appointment. The ceramist compares the bisque restoration directly against the natural teeth, making adjustments before final glazing. This step helps avoid re-dos after placement.
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3. Custom Staining & Final Delivery
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Fine-tuning aesthetics. If needed, the ceramist applies custom stains, characterizations, and glaze while the patient waits. This step ensures lifelike details—such as subtle surface texture, translucency, or natural lines—are perfectly matched.
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Final placement. The completed restoration is delivered back to the dentist, who permanently bonds it in place for a flawless, natural smile. ​
