Patent ID: 7946845
Filing Date: 2011-05-24
Classification: A61C,G01J,G01N

Abstract:
1. A method of determining a tooth shade of at least a portion of a patient's tooth which is to be replaced or restored, which comprises: capturing an electronic image of the patient's tooth, the image including color information representative of the patient's tooth shade; storing color information representative of known tooth shades with each known tooth shade representing a different tooth color; calibrating the color information of the patient's tooth and the color information representative of known tooth shades; and comparing the color information of the patient's tooth with the stored color information to identify a single tooth shade or a combination of tooth shades with a color or combined color corresponding to the color of at least a portion of the patient's tooth, such that the patient's tooth may be comprised of a single tooth shade or a plurality of tooth shades.