Accurate shade reproduction is no easy thing, there are so many variables and success relies upon several factors most of which are entirely subjective and not quantifiable.
After having a few consecutive cases that were problematic when it came to shade matching. We did some research into the best way to achieve the perfect match. It was obvious that conventional shade guides really weren’t much use in shade selection. Our search brought me to the eLAB® system and Sasha Hein’s work.
The eLAB® system, developed by Sascha Hein, enables colour reproduction of any tooth shade with a consistent, scientifically based technique and without the use of a shade guide, by using an SLR camera and macro lens suitable for dental photography along with a polar_eyes® filter and white_balance® card, the tooth colour is determined and applied by using the eLAB® system.
The clinical side of eLAB® simple, a photograph taken using a polarising filter and a grey card is all that is needed, there is a protocol to follow that involves setting the camera to some predefined parameters but this is very simple.The image allows us to quantify the brightness and colour components of the tooth based on the L*a*b colour space system. By using the same camera settings in the lab, we can perform a “digital” try-in of the crown to check the shade. To say that this is revolutionary is an understatement, it really does turn everything we thought we knew about tooth shades and shade matching on its head.
After having a few consecutive cases that were problematic when it came to shade matching. We did some research into the best way to achieve the perfect match. It was obvious that conventional shade guides really weren’t much use in shade selection. Our search brought me to the eLAB® system and Sasha Hein’s work.
The eLAB® system, developed by Sascha Hein, enables colour reproduction of any tooth shade with a consistent, scientifically based technique and without the use of a shade guide, by using an SLR camera and macro lens suitable for dental photography along with a polar_eyes® filter and white_balance® card, the tooth colour is determined and applied by using the eLAB® system.
The clinical side of eLAB® simple, a photograph taken using a polarising filter and a grey card is all that is needed, there is a protocol to follow that involves setting the camera to some predefined parameters but this is very simple.The image allows us to quantify the brightness and colour components of the tooth based on the L*a*b colour space system. By using the same camera settings in the lab, we can perform a “digital” try-in of the crown to check the shade. To say that this is revolutionary is an understatement, it really does turn everything we thought we knew about tooth shades and shade matching on its head.
Stacey's Story
Stacey is a young woman who unfortunately suffered trauma to her UR1 in a gym based accident. The tooth has fractured and been repaired with composite. Over time Stacey’s central grew more and more discoloured and naturally Stacey felt self-conscious about it. Dr Sara Herbert-Evans of Belgrave Dental Practice in Swansea contacted ABC Dental Laboratory to ask the best way of matching to Stacey’s teeth.
Our suggestion was to use the eLAB® system. As you can see from the photos, the prep is heavily discoloured and the space available buccally is limited. The fitted crown made using the e eLAB® system, the results speak for themselves.
Our suggestion was to use the eLAB® system. As you can see from the photos, the prep is heavily discoloured and the space available buccally is limited. The fitted crown made using the e eLAB® system, the results speak for themselves.
