Restorations: choosing tooth colour and shape

Good dental work does not draw attention. For that, colour and shape have to be right – in the interplay with the neighbouring teeth, not on their own.

Determining the colour

A tooth rarely has a single colour: it is darker at the neck and often slightly translucent at the incisal edge. These transitions are recorded with shade guides or digitally and passed on to the laboratory.

The circumstances matter here: the colour should be determined at the beginning of the appointment, while the teeth have not dried out, and it needs neutral light. Coloured walls, clothing or the treatment lamp distort the impression.

The shape

Width, length and inclination follow the face and whatever natural teeth are still there. The course of the gum line belongs to it as well – it frames the tooth and helps decide whether the result looks calm.