There are many reasons why you would want to know the shade of your teeth. Especially with dental treatments, it is important to know what your tooth shade is to achieve optimal results. Treatments such as tooth whitening, veneers, dental implants, crowns, and even fillings are all benefited by knowing your correct tooth shade.
Although every dentist has their own system of determining tooth shade, there is one common method that can be used. This method is using a shade guide as a reference point for teeth comparison. A shade guide has four main categories for comparison based on different shade regions.
The first category, A, shows a sample of teeth ranging from white to reddish brown. The next category, B, shows another sample of teeth ranging from white to reddish yellow. Category C shows a sample of teeth ranging from white to gray. And, finally, category D shows a sample of teeth ranging from white to reddish gray.
Within these categories, there are different shades ranging from light to dark. The variation of the shades depends on the shade guide being used. For example, some shade guides only have four shades for each category, while others may have more. Using a four-shade guide, most people have teeth that are A3 in color, meaning that they are somewhat reddish brown. This is considered the average, natural tooth shade.
Nowadays, however, many people want their teeth to look whiter and brighter and are requesting that their A3 teeth improve in color. When undergoing whitening treatments, many people request that their teeth be brought to a B1 level. The B1 shade is commonly thought to be the whitest shade, but this is not the case.
The B1 shade used to be the whitest shade for natural teeth. Now, with the introduction of bleaching products, the once natural shade has become much lighter. There are now colors even lighter than the lightest B1 shade. These colors are often referred to as Hollywood shades, since they are whiter than any naturally occuring teeth.
In addition to using shade guides to determine the color of your teeth for possible whitening procedures, they can also be used for other dental treatments such as dental veneers. Veneers are used when your teethare too discolored or damaged for a whitening treatment to be effective. They are a thin layer of porcelain that is adhered to your existing teeth with the intent of matching them.
In the case of veneers, your tooth shade is important for one of two reasons. The first reason being that if you are only putting veneers on one or even a couple of teeth, you will want them to blend in with your existing teeth. Thus, your tooth shade must be determined so the veneers can be manufactured in that shade and blend accordingly. The second reason would be if you are getting veneers on all your teeth and you desire these veneers to have a whiter color than your existing teeth. In this case, you would need to know your tooth shade to know the level of whitening you desire.
FAQs
A1 vs B1 Tooth Color
Logically, one might think that A1 is the whitest tooth shade because A is the first letter in the alphabet. However, the B1 tooth shade is actually the lightest, followed by A1. This is by virtue of its coloring (reddish yellow) as opposed to the coloring of A teeth (reddish brown).
What are the colour shades of teeth? ›
The Vita Shade Guide categorises original tooth shade into four main shades with a range of sixteen tones: A for reddish brown tooth colour. B for reddish yellow tooth colour. C for grey tooth shades.
What is the most popular denture color? ›
The three most common shades that are used are what I call natural (A2), natural white (A1), or Hollywood white (B1) and the two uncommon ones are what I call natural dark (A3) and sparkling white (010).
How do you choose the right shade for dentures? ›
ALWAYS take your shade at the very beginning of the appointment. As you do procedures with the mouth open and saliva evacuated, the teeth will dry out and can lighten a shade of more. If you wait until the end of the appointment you will tend to request shades that are too bright.
Is A1 a good tooth color? ›
Tooth shades A1, A2, A3 and A3. 5 from the VITA tooth shade tables. A is described as reddish-brownish and is probably the most typical natural color of teeth in Central Europe. Within this color spectrum, the tooth shade A1 is the lightest shade, which only rarely occurs naturally.
Is B1 tooth shade good? ›
B1: A Standout Shade
Within this spectrum, B1 is renowned for its exceptional brightness and natural appearance. Situated in the B category, it strikes a perfect balance, avoiding the extreme whites while offering a level of luminosity that mirrors healthy, natural teeth.
What tooth shade is the most common? ›
Using a four-shade guide, most people have teeth that are A3 in color, meaning that they are somewhat reddish brown. This is considered the average, natural tooth shade. Nowadays, however, many people want their teeth to look whiter and brighter and are requesting that their A3 teeth improve in color.
How do I choose the right shade of teeth? ›
Skin Tone: Your skin tone can influence how certain shades appear. A shade that complements your skin tone will ensure a harmonious and natural look. Lip Color: The contrast between your teeth and lip color can impact the perception of tooth whiteness. Ensure the chosen shade doesn't clash with your natural lip color.
What is the best shade of white teeth? ›
The ideal shade of white targeted during teeth whitening treatments is a few shades lighter than the white of the patient's eyes. Whitening treatments can make teeth whiter than that, but the results typically would not look natural compared to the rest of the patient's physical features.
What dentures look the most realistic? ›
Porcelain is harder than acrylic. This makes dentures more durable. Also, porcelain dentures provide excellent aesthetics since the replacement teeth look a lot more like natural teeth. This material is better for bearing the daily wearing of teeth while we talk, chew or bite.
If your dentures are too big or too small for your mouth, they can significantly alter your facial appearance. Oversized dentures may cause your face to appear puffy or swollen, while undersized dentures can make your facial features look disproportionate.
What color should you get your dentures? ›
If your ultimate goal is to have dentures that look like real teeth, pay attention to the size, shape, and color of your natural teeth. Everyone is different, so try to choose a tooth size and shape that's proportionate to the rest of your mouth and face. Select a shade similar to the color of your natural teeth.
Can you get whiter than B1? ›
B1 is the lightest natural tooth shade in the Vita shade guide. With Porcelain Dental Veneers its possible to achieve teeth shades that are much whiter than B1 such as BL1 or BL2.
What is the difference between A and B teeth color? ›
A shade guide has four main categories for comparison based on different shade regions. The first category, A, shows a sample of teeth ranging from white to reddish brown. The next category, B, shows another sample of teeth ranging from white to reddish yellow.
What is the most common tooth shade? ›
Results: Results showed that A3 was the most common classical tooth shade respectively.
