Multiple dental shade guide system

• US 4,207,678 A
• Filed: 09/26/1977
• Issued: 06/17/1980
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/1977
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: William W. Jeannette
• Original Assignee: William W. Jeannette
• Inventors: Jeannette, William W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Peshock, Robert
• Application Number:
  US05/836,488
• Time in Patent Office: 995 Days
• Field of Search: 32/71
• US Class Current: 433/203.1
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 19/10 Supports for artificial teeth for transport or for comparison of the colour

Abstract

A dental shade guide system for increasing the accuracy in matching an artificial tooth coloring to a patient'"'"'s natural teeth by providing a plurality of primary shade guides, each guide having a specific chroma percentage made from a predetermined formula. Each primary shade guide has a corresponding plurality of secondary shade guides such that each of the corresponding secondary shade guides has a decreased chroma percentage which is determined by varying the value ratio of the primmary shade guide formula. This is accomplished by mixing the primary shade guide formula in varying amounts with a gray or white modifier. In one embodiment of the invention the secondary shade guides provide a chroma range which in selected applications overlaps with the chroma range of several of the primary shade guides providing the practitioner with a more accurate match. A method for making and using the secondary shade guides is disclosed.

Claims

1. A method for selecting a coloration for artificial teeth to match exactly that of a patient'"'"'s natural teeth comprising the steps of:

(a) comparing the patient'"'"'s natural teeth with a plurality of primary shade guides, deployed upon a first shade guide holder, each primary shade guide having a specific chroma percentage and each primary shade guide having a different chroma percentage than the other shade guides such that the shade guides cover a specific chroma range;

(b) selecting the primary shade guide which matches most closely the patient'"'"'s natural teeth;

(c) from a plurality of secondary shade guide holders, each secondary shade guide holder corresponding to one of said primary shade guides and having a plurality of secondary shade guides provided thereon, selecting the secondary shade guide holder corresponding to the primary shade guide selected in step b;

(d) comparing the patient'"'"'s natural teeth with the secondary shade guides provided on the secondary shade guide holder selected in step c, each said secondary shade guide having a chroma percentage which is defined by a pre-determined value ratio with respect to the chroma percentage of the corresponding primary shade guide, achieved by the addition of a value modifier to the coloring formulation for said primary shade guide in pre-determined proportion specified for each such secondary shade guide; and

(e) selecting the secondary shade guide which matches most closely the coloration of the patient'"'"'s natural teeth.

2. The process of claim 1 wherein the patient'"'"'s natural teeth are compared with primary and secondary shade guides in the form of simulated teeth.

3. The process of claim 1 wherein colorations for artificial teeth, corresponding to a selected number of said secondary shade guides, are fabricated by mixing, in accordance with the specified ratios, the coloring formulation for its corresponding primary shade guide with a white modifier.

4. The process of claim 1 wherein colorations for artificial teeth, corresponding to a selected number of said secondary shade guides, are fabricated by mixing, in accordance with the specified ratios, the coloring formulation for its corresponding primary shade guide with a white modifier.