Overview: Learn how to prepare your clinical environment, tools, and patient to capture high-quality shade photographs for accurate dental restorations.
Prerequisites
Before beginning the shade capture process, ensure the following items and conditions are met:
Camera: Use a smartphone with the resolution of an iPhone 12 or higher, or a high-resolution DSLR camera.
Shade Guide: Ensure the shade guide (preferably a Vita classical guide) is less than two years old.
Hydration: Confirm the patient's teeth are fully hydrated before photography.
Prepare the Clinical Environment
Clinical Room Setup
To ensure colour accuracy, optimise the lighting and surroundings in the operatory:
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Lighting: Turn the dental chair light OFF. Use natural, ambient lighting.
Including a dental loupes light source.
Colour Correction: Use colour-corrective lighting with a temperature of approximately 5500 K and a colour-rendering index (CRI) of 90 or higher.
Room Colour: Light blue or grey walls are recommended to avoid colour dilution in the photographs.
Gloves: Use neutral, black, or grey coloured gloves to avoid colour interference.
Tool and Shade Guide Preparation
Prepare the equipment required for shade matching:
Shade Tabs: Rearrange the shade guide from light to dark to assist with visual discernment.
Stump Shade: If applicable, prepare a stump shade guide that is less than two years old.
Sterilisation: Do not use cold sterilisation techniques on shade guides, as this can alter the colour of the tabs.
Capture Patient Shade Photographs
Photography Workflow
Follow these steps while the patient is in the chair to capture necessary shade data:
Hydration Maintenance: Move through the photography steps quickly, as dry teeth will change colour and impact the accuracy of the shade.
Full Face Image: At eye level, capture a photograph of the patient’s natural smile (full face).
Close-up Image: At eye level, capture a photograph of the natural smile from a close-up perspective.