Vita Scale: a description of the instrument and the features of determining the color of the teeth

Tooth enamel is regularly susceptible to the harmful effects of food, beverages and other products that pass through the human mouth. As a rule, the shade of teeth is white, this indicates that everything is fine, they are healthy and do not need treatment.

Any deviation from the norm and the appearance of an ugly yellow plaque indicates the formation of unhealthy conditions and can lead to health problems. Determine the color of the enamel allows the Vita scale, which helps dentists to distinguish healthy teeth from damaged ones.

What determines the natural shade

The natural color of the teeth depends on many factors, the main ones are as follows:

• hereditary gene;
• predisposition to diseases;
• compliance with personal hygiene;
• consumption of food and beverages;
• bone strength.

Reasons for discoloration of teeth

As a rule, the owners of a natural snow-white smile on the globe are a few. Very often, the enamel is darkened due to various circumstances, but the main reasons for the change in tone are:

• improper cleaning;
• excessive consumption of coffee and other beverages with caffeine;
• smoking;
• age change;
• dental disease;
• consumption of food products, which basically contain dyes;
• lack of vitamins in the body;
• is an overabundance of some vitamins.

What is the Vitas Scale

As a designation for the shade, doctors use a table of teeth color, called the Vita scale( pictured below).It is a standard scale of visual perception of the shades of teeth, indicated in alphanumeric format. As a rule, this designation is used both in Russia and in Europe.

Auxiliary tool, Vita scale for determining the color of teeth, can be produced in different types, namely:

• paper version;
• plastic models;
• models from laminated cardboard;
• ceramic dentures.

The tool is a rail where models with the following group differences are attached:

• A - reddish-brown hues;
• B - reddish yellowish;
• C - gray shades;
• D - reddish gray.

In this case, to the right of the letters is a digital luminance designation, where 1 is the brightest hue, and 4 is the faintest. So, on the whiteness scale of the teeth, first the letter type of the shade is determined, and then the numerical designation of the brightness, for example, the color of the teeth A1, A2, A3, and so on.

Why and when the

is used The Vita table is used in medicine to determine the naturalness of a tone, as well as the possible presence of a disease. If there is a significant difference from the norm, the doctor will conduct appropriate treatment. In other words, the scale of the tone of the teeth is a kind of help in the examination of the patient.

This auxiliary tool is not always used by dentists, but only in cases of necessity, when the patient plans to start the bleaching procedure, as well as to treat and smooth the natural smile. Also, this tool may be required by the doctor in the case of the selection and installation of a ceramic implant.

How does the color definition of

When you visit a doctor, the first thing he will notice is the color and brightness of your enamel.

To do this, he needs a scale of shades of teeth, as an auxiliary tool. Exhibitors of four different groups are represented on it.

First of all, the doctor will determine to which group the shades of your enamel belong and then proceed to comparison and possible identification of some abnormalities that will subsequently require appropriate treatment.

Under what conditions the shade of

is determined. To accurately determine the tone, the patient should prepare and clean the tooth surface in advance from the plaque.

However, often this is not enough, so the doctor has to perform an additional cleaning procedure.

Only after such a procedure, a specialist will be able to determine the natural color of your teeth on the Vita scale and give appropriate recommendations for caring for them.

What factors affect the perception of color

It is worth noting that the perception of tone by the dentist can also be erroneous for the following reasons:

• disturbed the lighting in the treatment room;
• cleaning of the enamel surface was not carried out completely;
• presence of concomitant disease.

In this case, the doctor will be given appropriate treatment before determining the shade.

Ideal conditions for determining the tone of

Ideal are the conditions when:

• the enamel of the patient has been subjected to thorough cleaning;
• in the dental office of a fluorescent lamp or natural light;
• on the patient clothes pastel tones.

Cases of one hundred percent coincidence occur extremely rarely due to the fact that the enamel of different teeth of the patient may have significant differences. Before visiting a specialist, you need to choose the right clothes. White and bright clothes will complicate the work of the dentist, as in daylight, it will reflect and distort the perception of the color of the enamel.

How to preserve the natural color of tooth enamel

Some patients turn to dentistry in the hope of restoring the former whiteness. However, it happens that it is almost impossible without proper treatment.

If the enamel is very yellow, the specialist can perform the bleaching procedure, after which the smile will again become white and natural.

Factors that can have a beneficial effect on whiteness restoration:

• regular maintenance;
• implementation of the doctor's recommendations;
• smoking cessation;
• refusal from frequent consumption of coffee and beverages with caffeine;
• visit to the dentist.

Only if these conditions are met can you change the tone of your teeth for the better.

The Vita Scale is an excellent auxiliary tool in the work of the dentist, it allows you to determine what type of shade of enamel the patient has.

For dental health, it is extremely important to monitor them on a regular basis, otherwise a beautiful smile can be forgotten forever.