Colorimetric evaluation of vita shade resin composites.

The shades of several resin composite materials are keyed to the Vita Lumin shade guide. This study was designed to determine whether different composites of the same designated Vita shade were actually similar in color. A small-area colorimeter was used to compare the L*a*b* color parameters of three hybrid resin composites--Pertac-Hybrid, Prisma AP.H, and XRV Herculite. Four Vita shades (A2, B3, C2, and D3) of each material were evaluated. Color differences (delta E values) between composites of the same designated shade ranged from 2.07 for the A2 shades of Herculite and AP.H to 7.64 for the D3 shades of Herculite and Pertac. Color differences in this range are perceptible to many observers under ideal viewing conditions.