EFFECTS OF THREE DIFFERENT LIGHTING CONDITIONS ON THE OUTCOME OF VISUAL TOOTH SHADE SELECTION USING THE VITAPAN CLASSICAL SHADE GUIDE

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the frequency of correct shade selections under three different lighting conditions using the Vitapan Classical shade guide among undergraduate dental students.

Methodology: This cross-sectional study was conducted at the Foundation University College of Dentistry (FUCD), from October 2024 to March 2025. Visual shade matching was carried out using a standard shade selection protocol to match a masked A3 shade tab to reference tabs under three different lighting conditions- natural daylight, standard operatory light, and color-corrected artificial light. A two-week interval was given between each trial. Shade agreement and selection time were measured. Statistical analysis was conducted using the Chi-square test and the Kruskal-Wallis test, with significance set at P < 0.05.

Results: A total of 95 dental students participated in the study, with a mean age of 25.06 ± 2.7 years. Among the participants, 31 (32.63%) were male and 64 (67.37%) were female. Shade agreement significantly varied with the type of light condition, with maximum accuracy under color-corrected light (62.11%), followed by natural sunlight (45.26%) and dental operatory light (32.63%) (p < 0.001). Time spent in shade selection was considerably less under color-corrected light (median = 28s) than natural sunlight (35s) and operatory light (37s) (p < 0.001).

Conclusion: Color-corrected lighting significantly improves shade-matching accuracy and efficiency compared with natural daylight or operatory light.