Visual Shade Matching

Visual shade matching is a clinical technique used to choose the best colour for a dental restoration so it blends with a patient’s natural teeth. The clinician compares the patient’s teeth to a shade guide and assesses hue, value (lightness) and chroma (saturation) under controlled lighting, taking into account factors such as tooth translucency, surface texture and surrounding oral colours.

The accuracy of visual shade matching depends on consistent lighting (ideally natural or colour-corrected light), the tooth being clean and hydrated, a neutral background and the experience of the observer. When exact matches are critical or when visual methods are limited by lighting or human variability, instrumental methods such as spectrophotometers or digital shade-taking can be used as an adjunct to improve consistency.