Patients' self-perception of tooth shade in relation to professionally objective evaluation

Objective: Self-assessment of teeth shade was compared with professional assessment. Method and Materials: Patients' anterior teeth shade evaluation was conducted first by the patient (n = 193) and then by the clinician using the Vita shade guide. Results: In 18.7% of participants, self-assessment of teeth shade matched in hue and chroma to the clinician's evaluation. A positive correlation was found between participants' self-assessment of their shade and the clinician's assessment (P = .014; Pearson product moment correlation). Participants assessed their shade darker than the clinician (P .001; chisquare test). Only 3.6% were highly satisfied with the shade of their teeth, and 83.4% were interested in a future bleaching procedure. Tooth shade was more accurately assessed by women (P = .02) and nonsmokers (P = .03; chi-square test). Conclusion: A patient's preference toward a lighter shade should be addressed during treatment planning to match the patient's expectations for esthetics and increase patient satisfaction of treatment outcome. Patients may prefer white and shiny rather than a natural appearance. Keywords: appearance, dental esthetics, self-esteem, shade, tooth color, young adults