Each person’s teeth have a slightly different natural shade. Choosing the right one for your smile is one of the most important steps in cosmetic dentistry. You might need teeth whitening, veneers, crowns, or dental implants, but what you probably don’t know is that you also need to learn a little about the teeth color scale.
It helps patients and dentists communicate clearly. They can compare natural shades and select a tone that looks just right. Let’s see how to choose the ideal shade for your treatment.
What are the Most Important Factors that Determine Tooth Color?
Several biological and environmental factors influence the color of your teeth. Here are the most important ones.
- Dentin color: Dentin is yellowish, and it is located beneath the enamel. The thinner your enamel, the yellower your teeth.
- Enamel thickness: The enamel is translucent. The thicker it is, the brighter the tooth.
- Age: The enamel wears down over time. This exposes more dentin and creates a darker shade.
- Genetics: Some people simply have whiter or more yellow hues.
This is why no two smiles look exactly the same, and why a tooth shade chart is important if you want to plan your treatment properly with your dentist.
What are the Most Common Factors that Influence Teeth Color?
The teeth shade is determined by various factors.
- Diet: Coffee, tea, red wine, berries, and curry will stain the enamel.
- Smoking: Nicotine and tar cause a dark yellow or even brown discoloration.
- Oral hygiene: Poor oral hygiene allows plaque and tartar to accumulate on your teeth.
- Medications: Certain antibiotics, especially tetracycline, can discolor teeth during tooth development.
- Dental trauma: Certain injuries can cause teeth to darken from the inside.
You should be upfront about your past issues when talking to your dentist, as this will help them choose the right tooth colour scale for your specific case.
What are the Most Common Teeth Color Charts?
Dentists worldwide rely on standardized dental color charts to consistently evaluate shades. There are two main types.
Vita Classical Shade Guide
This is the most widely recognized teeth colour scale that organizes tooth shades into four main categories:
- A (reddish brown)
- B (reddish yellow)
- C (gray)
- D (reddish gray)
Within each category, you also have numbers between 1 and 4 that indicate lightness, where “1” is the lightest. So, for example, A1 and B1 are popular choices for whitening or cosmetic treatments.
Bleachedguide 3D-Master Shade Guide
This chart is created specifically for modern bleaching treatments. It expands beyond natural shades to include ultra-bright tones. It is called “3D” because it evaluates color in three dimensions.
- Lightness
- Hue
- Chroma
Teeth whitening in Turkey is so common nowadays, and many patients want shades from this set for their veneers, crowns, or dental implant procedures. To help you understand the difference between these two charts, here’s a quick comparison table.
|
Feature |
Vita Classical Shade Guide |
Bleachedguide 3D-Master |
|
Number of Shades |
16 |
26+ including bleaching tones |
|
Best For |
Veneers, crowns, and natural shade matching |
Whitening, smile makeover planning |
|
Color Range |
Natural enamel tones |
Natural + ultra-bright bleached shades |
|
Popular Shades |
A1, B1 |
0M1, 0M2, 0M3 |
|
Advantage |
Simple, familiar worldwide |
More precise for cosmetic dentistry |
Choosing the Right Shade for Cosmetic Dentistry
Picking the perfect tooth color is a very important decision, so you need to consider several factors.
- Skin tone: Warm skin tones pair best with creamy shades like A1 and B1, while cool skin tones go well with a bright, neutral white color.
- Age: Very bright shades will probably look less natural on mature patients. A softer tone will lead to a more elegant result.
- Natural tooth color: If you are treating only a fraction of your teeth (e.g., dental crowns or veneers in Turkey), the new shade needs to blend well with your existing shade.
To make everything look completely natural, dentists usually go for one of two approaches.
- They can whiten your teeth to be lighter than your natural color, which is ideal for patients who need a full smile makeover and a noticeable transformation. Shades from the Bleachedguide 3D-Master catalog are very popular.
- Or, they can match your natural shade for veneers and crowns. When only one or two teeth need treatment, dentists carefully select a shade from the natural tooth color chart, ensuring the new tooth blends in with the rest.
Should You Consider Teeth Whitening in Turkey?
Did you know that you can travel to Turkey, stay at a hotel, get the dental procedure, stay for a few days, and then fly back home, and all this costs less than getting treatment in the US or UK?
Just Google “affordable prices dental treatments in Turkey” and you’ll see what we mean.
What are the Top Advantages?
- Experienced cosmetic dentists
- Modern whitening systems (laser, LED, peroxide-based)
- Fast, safe results
- Lower cost compared to the US or UK
- Treatment oftis en included in larger smile makeover packages
What are the Expected Results?
Most patients get a smile that is about 4 to 8 shades lighter. Results may vary depending on enamel thickness and the starting shade.
How Long Do These Results Last?
- 12 to 24 months with good oral hygiene
- Longer if you stay away from smoking and staining foods
- You should go to the dentist for a check-up every 1 or 2 years
Comparison Chart: Price in the US/UK vs Turkey
Country | Average Cost |
United States | $500 to $1,000 per session |
United Kingdom | £350 to £800 |
Turkey | $120 to $250 |
Conclusion
So, if you are hopping on the keyboard to find “dental implants Turkey,” because you don’t believe us, now you’re a believer. And, on top of that, you can now understand the teeth color chart and your natural shade, so feel free to explore lighter options and choose the right tone for your needs.
FAQs
Which teeth shade is best?
A natural-looking white that complements your skin tone. Most people prefer brighter, whiter teeth.
Is the B1 tooth shade too white?
It’s bright but still natural for most patients.
Can yellow teeth become white again?
Yes, but you need professional whitening treatments.
What foods stain your teeth?
The most common culprits are coffee, tea, red wine, berries, and curry.