Shade-matching abilities of dental laboratory technicians using a commercial light source.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate dental laboratory technicians' abilities to match shades using a light-corrective device under conventional laboratory conditions. The variables measured were years experience, gender, and light source. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A 14-item shade-matching quiz (SMQ) was field-tested and deemed adequate. Information included age, gender, number of years experience, and Ishihara's Colour-Blindness Assessment. Forty-two dental technicians from five northeast Ohio laboratories were invited to participate. The SMQ was administered twice: under the lighting conditions in the individual laboratories (SMQ-Lab) and with a light-corrective source (SMQ-LC). For each item, the technicians were to select the matching Vita shade tab from five preselected shade tabs. SMQ scores equaled the number of correct matches. Statistical analysis included calculation of means, standard deviations, correlation coefficients, and independent and paired t-tests. Significance was set at p