Shade matching encompasses several variables such as hue, chroma and value that need to be considered to effectively satisfy a patient’s personal expectations and your aesthetics goals. This can be a time consuming and detailed task to accomplish chairside.

Our bespoke shade matching services provide the maximum opportunity to achieve beautiful and aesthetically superior restorations for your patient, whether we are matching a single anterior tooth or a full smile design case. We also offer training assistance through our education facility on effective techniques that you and your dental team can use to get the best possible results for the patient when shade taking at the practice.

after

before

after

before

after

before

after

before

after

before

What is the process?

Our bespoke service takes place at our studio, where your patient will be greeted in our relaxed and friendly reception with refreshments, then led to our private consultation room. A shade match consultation will usually take 40 minutes and for more complicated shades, may require two visits by the patient:

• Using state of art equipment in the best possible lighting conditions of our photography suite, we will record information on elements such as the hue, chrome and value taken from the natural teeth and use this as a basis for a more accurate colour and translucence matched restorations.

• With expertise and a technical eye, we then use an extensive collection of Vita and Ivoclar Vivadent shade guides to establish further colour and shading information. We also assess for labial surface texture, the individual characteristics and the presence of any mamelons to ensure all considerations perfect the results.
• We take digital intra-oral photographs to record, plan and support our prior processes and to assist at all manufacturing stages. Photography is a crucial element and filtering is used to highlight such considerations as value and gingival hue. We create an album for each referral which is available and stored securely.

Anything Else?

For the use of those patients visiting us, we can provide you with comprehensive shade taking referral leaflets explaining the process and contact details which can be given to them at their practice appointment.

We also offer your patients an SMS appointment confirmation service for ease and convenience when attending shade matching consultations.