Proposal for a gingival shade guide based on in vivo spectrophotometric measurements

PURPOSE. The purpose of this study was to propose and assess a shade guide for pink gingival aesthetics using a Spanish population sample. MATERIALS AND METHODS. The $L^*$, $C^*$, h, $a^*$ and $b^*$ coordinates of 259 participants were measured using a spectrophotometer in 3 standardized points along the attached gingiva of the maxillary central incisors. A hierarchical clustering analysis was applied to obtain separate solutions regarding the number of shade tabs. For each of the solutions obtained, color differences (${\Delta}E^*$) were calculated using the CIELab and CIEDE2000 formulas, and the proposed shade guide was selected considering (1) the color differences between tabs and (2) the coverage error of each of the solutions. RESULTS. The proposed shade guide consisted of 8 gingival shade tabs and achieved CIELab and CIEDE2000 coverage errors of less than the respective 50:50% acceptability thresholds (${\Delta}E^*=4.6$ units and ${\Delta}E_{00}=4.1$). The coordinates for the various gingival shade tabs were as follows: Tab 1: $L^*43.3$, $a^*21.9$, $b^*12.3$ (1.6); Tab 2: $L^*42.9$, $a^*34.1$, $b^*19.1$; Tab 3: $L^*46.5$, $a^*25.8$, $b^*10.9$; Tab 4: $L^*46.5$, $a^*27.3$, $b^*15.1$; Tab 5: $L^*49.6$, $a^*23.5$, $b^*16.8$; Tab 6: $L^*51.5$, $a^*19.7$, $b^*13.6$; Tab 7: $L^*55.9$, $a^*22.0$, $b^*15.0$; and Tab 8: $L^*56.0$, $a^*19.9$, $b^*18.8$. CONCLUSION. The CIELab and CIEDE2000 coverage errors for the 8 shade tabs of the proposed gingival shade guide were significantly lower than those of other guides. Therefore, despite the limitations of this study, the proposed guide is more appropriate for matching gingival shade in the Spanish general population.