The effect of enamel porcelain thickness on color and the ability of a shade guide to prescribe chroma.

OBJECTIVE: To test the null hypothesis that there is no color change when enamel porcelain thickness is changed and to evaluate the ability of a shade guide to prescribe chroma. METHODS: Three shades (3M1, 3M2 and 3M3) were selected from a Vitapan 3D master shade guide. Five disk specimens were prepared for each shade, consisting of three layers (opacious dentin, dentin and enamel) at thicknesses of 0.6, 0.8 and 0.6mm, respectively. The color of each disk was measured using a spectrophotometer. Enamel porcelain was reduced in thickness to 0.3mm and porcelain disks were remeasured. RESULTS: Reducing the enamel thickness of porcelain disk specimens significantly increased L) (p<0.05), b*, metric chroma and hue angle (p<0.001). For the three shades studied (3M1, 3M2 and 3M3) L* values were not significantly different (p>0.05) and chroma increased for 3M1 with the lowest chroma to 3M3 with the highest chroma, which is in line with the shade guide specifications. Although statistically significant (p<0.001) changes in hue angle between the three shades were small (less than 3 degrees overall). The difference in chroma between the three shades 3M1, 3M2 and 3M3 was greatest for the thin enamel layer than the thick enamel layer. SIGNIFICANCE: A change in enamel thickness from 0.6 to 0.3mm resulted in a three-unit change in L* and metric chroma and a 4 degrees change in hue angle. A change in enamel porcelain thickness will have a greater effect on higher chromatic shades than those with lower chroma. The ability of the shade guide to prescribe chroma was demonstrated but this could be offset by an anomalous enamel thickness.