Journal of Prosthodontics News
Gradated Silicone Shade Guide Utilized for Shade Matching Extraoral Prostheses
Now online in the Journal of Prosthodontics, a clinical report on shade matching using a digitally designed gradated silicone shade guide co-authored by ACP members Steven E. Handel, DMD, FACP, and Jennifer V. Sabol, DDS, MS, FACP.
Shade matching of extraoral prostheses is completed by mixing pigments and rayon flocking into medical-grade silicone and using a carrier to evaluate the color match. Color matching is especially challenging because the existing techniques have several inherent challenges: inconsistencies during tone production, variability of skin tone, and limited silicone-specific shade guides. The process also does not account for how material thickness affects the appearance of the silicone.
This report describes an innovative way to match the patient's skin tone with a device that allows for the assessment of shade from the thin marginal edge to 5 mm thickness.
Utilizing CAD software, a silicone carrier was designed to have a maximum height of 5 mm on one end and decreased to 0 over 50 mm length. Gradations of 1–5 mm were placed on the external surface of the carrier. A prototype was printed in a biocompatible Class 1 resin material that resulted in a transparent product. Silicone, silicone coloring pigment, and rayon flocking were used to create a base shade sample and three derivation samples to match the tissue around the patient's defect.
The gradated silicone shade guide dramatically improved the esthetic results by allowing complete assessment of shades from the thin margin to variable depths of the prosthesis. This device allows for assessment of color based on thickness variability, leading to a more predictable outcome for extraoral prostheses.
Handel SE, Pizzini J, Hart E, Sabol JV. Gradated silicone shade guide utilized for shade matching extraoral prostheses. J Prosthodont. 2023; 1–4. https://doi.org/10.1111/jopr.13814
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