The relationship between tooth color, skin and eye color.

PURPOSE: Tooth color is one of the most important factors in dental and facial esthetics. The aim of this study was to determine the tooth color of the upper frontal teeth in subjects and to provide comparisons with different skin and eye colors. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Tooth color was determined in 255 patients in the intercanine sector of the maxilla using an intraoral spectrophotometer Vita Easyshade® (Vita Zahnfabrik. H Rauter GmbH & Co. KG. Bad Sackingen. Germany). Skin and eye color was determined by visual perception. The shades of the Vita Tooth Guide 3D Master (Vita Zahnfabrik, H Rauter GmbH & Co, KG, Bad Sackingen, Germany) were registered by the spectrophotometer. Pearson's chi-squared test was used to examine the differences between tooth color and skin and eye color. RESULTS: The most frequent shade registered in the central incisors was 2M1 (62 subjects, 8.10%); in the lateral incisors, 1.5M1.5 (65 subjects, 8.50%); and in the canines, 2M3 (142 subjects, 18.56%). Pearson's chi-squared test results showed a statistically significant difference in the relations between skin and eye color and central incisor color (p<0.01; p<0.001), lateral incisor color (p<0.001), and canine color (p<0.001; p=0.001). On the other hand, no significant difference was observed in the relation of the lateral incisors and canines with eye color. CONCLUSION: Skin and eye color significantly correlate with tooth color; however, the color of lateral incisors and canines does not correlate significantly with eye color.

Evaluation of Maximum Bite Force in Patients with Complete Dentures.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate maximum bite forces (mBF) in dominant (DS) and non-dominant sides (NDS) at certain time periods after the insertion of new complete dentures based on prior experience and gender. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 88 patients, complete denture wearers (CDWs), were examined. The maximum bite force at the intercuspal position between the first molars in 3 seconds was registered and recorded with piezoelectric gnathodynamometer. The procedure was repeated 3 times in identical conditions, with relaxation intervals of 1 minute between repeats and the limiting factor was the subjective feeling of pain. Testing of parametric data was performed with One Way Repeated Measurement of ANOVA test. RESULTS: The average mBF values increased during the observational period, both on the DS and NDS, with significant difference in DS, which was greater. The analysis of one-factor variance showed that there were differences of average mBF values in DS and NDS during six consecutive measurements (mBF-DS = 11.3, p = 0.0001, and mBF-NDS = 2.26, p = 0.047). Significant changes in the masticatory force (mBF) on the DS and NDS is explained by different measurement times and with the prior experience with complete dentures, BF-DS = 11.76, p = 0.0000; mBF-NDS = 2.42, p = 0.0351; mBFe-DS = 40.48; P = 0.0000 mBFe-NDS = 39.93, p = 0.0000. CONCLUSION: mBF represents a significant discriminating variable of the level of functional adaptation of new complete denture wearers (nCDWs) about the initial measurements.