www.symbiosisonline.

org
Symbiosis www.symbiosisonlinepublishing.com

Review Article Journal of Dentistry, Oral Disorders & Therapy Open Access

A Review of Color Science in Dentistry: Colorimetry and

Color Space
James C. Ragain*
Associate Professor, Department of Restorative Dentistry, University of Tennessee Health Sciences Center, College of Dentistry, Memphis, TN, USA

Received: May 29, 2015; Accepted: September 02, 2015; Published: January 29, 2016

*Corresponding author: Dr. James C. Ragain, Associate Professor, Department of Restorative Dentistry, College of Dentistry, University of Tennessee
Health Sciences Center, Memphis, TN, USA, Tel: +901-448-1323; E-mail: [email protected]

choose a close color match between tooth structures and dental

Abstract restorative materials.
This article is the second in a series of review articles discussing
the applications of color science in the clinical practice of dentistry. Colorimetry
This installment discusses the colorimetry, which is the science In the life sciences, such as physiology and psychology, color
and technology used to quantify and describe physically the human
is dealt with in terms of the human visual process and sensation
color perception. Theories of color space and clinically portable
colorimetric devices developed for determining tooth shade in the in the consciousness of the human as an optical observer [2].
dental practice is discussed. The combined intensities of the wavelengths present in a
beam of visible light reflected off of the surface of an object
determine the property referred to as color. Visible light is a
Introduction form of electromagnetic radiant energy in the wavelength range
This article is the second in a series of articles that will review of approximately 380-780nm which can be detected by the
the fundamentals of color science as applied to the practice of human eye [3]. An object must either emit light, or it must reflect
dentistry. The first article discussed the basic human perception or transmit incident light from an external source for it to be
of color and reviewed the current accepted theory of human color visible. It can be said that the perception of color is the result of
perception. This article will discuss the principles colorimetry, a physiological response to a physical stimulus [4]. Colorimeters
color difference calculations, and portable, clinical colorimetric and spectrophotometers also process reflected light from the
instruments. The third article will discuss the application surface of an object, and these devices calculate the light flux data
of colorimetric devices in the dental office. Suggestions for into color parameters that can be used to determine shade and
determining shade selection in the dental practice will also calculate color differences [5]. These instruments can also be
be reviewed. The common theme for all three of the articles is thought of as “observers.” Portable models of these instruments
that an understanding of the principles of color vision, color can be used in clinical dentistry to determine tooth shade.
The operation and capabilities of these instruments is better
measurement, and the communication of color parameters
understood with a basic understanding of color theory and
will improve the restorative dentist’s abilities to meet patient
colorimetry.
expectations for biomimetic dental restorations.
Various methods have been devised for quantifying color
For many dental patients, restoring dental esthetics is of high
and expressing color numerically, thereby making it possible to
importance in the course of their dental treatment. The blending
communicate colors more accurately. A “color space” is a specific
of restorative materials with the teeth, producing a natural-
organization of colors. Since “color space” is a specific term,
looking appearance suitable to the patient and in which the
identifying a particular combination of color model and mapping
dental restoratives cannot be seen, should be a major goal of the
function, it tends to be used informally to identify a color model. In
restorative dentist [1].
1905, Munsell developed a method of expressing colors and color
Restorative dental materials and prostheses matched to space utilizing paper color chips classified according to their hue,
patient tooth color using contemporary clinical techniques lightness, and chroma [5]. Hue is the attribute of color by which
generally provide results acceptable by most patients. However, we distinguish red from green, blue, yellow, and so forth. Munsell
shade guides with shade tabs are commonly used for shade called red, yellow, green, blue, and purple the principle hues.
selection and these techniques are very subjective, and often Adjacent colors in this series can be mixed to obtain a continuous
these techniques depend on numerous ambient factors and color variation from one color to another (Figure 1). This series can be
vision acuity of the clinician. In the contemporary restorative arranged in a circle because it returns to a starting point. After
dental practice colorimetric instrumentation can be used to inserting five intermediate hues for a total of ten hues, he used

Symbiosis Group *Corresponding author email: [email protected]

A Review of Color Science in Dentistry: Colorimetry and Color Space Copyright:
© 2016 Ragain

theoretically ideal coloring agents. Real coloring agents, with less

than ideal characteristics, impose further limitations on physical
representations of the color solid. The Munsell Color Order
System itself is applicable to all possible colors. The highest
chroma yellow colors have rather high values, while the highest
chroma blue colors have lower values.
These three color attributes can be put together to create the
three-dimensional solid shown in Figure 6. Hues form the outer
rim of the solid, with lightness as the center axis and saturation as

Figure 1: Munsell’s hues.

initials as the symbols to designate the hue sectors (i.e., R, YR, Y,

GY, G, BG, B, PB, P, and RP). The hue circle was divided into 100
steps with the zero point at the beginning of the red sector. Each
step had an equal visual change in hue (Figure 2) [5].
Value indicates the lightness of the color, and the scale of value
ranges from 0 for pure black to 10 for pure white. The whites,
blacks, and grays are achromatic, having no hue. This lightness
can be measured independently of hue. As the Figure 3 shows,
lightness increases towards the top and decreases towards the Figure 2: Munsell color wheel.
bottom.
The degree of departure of a color from the neutral color
of the same value is termed chroma. Colors of low chroma can
be described as weak, while those of high chroma are strong or
vivid. It is intended that the scaling of chroma be visually uniform.
Chroma can be described as saturation levels of the hues. The
units are arbitrary with the scale starting at 0 for neutral colors.
There is no arbitrary end to the scale (Figure 3).
Munsell hue, value and chroma can be varied independently.
In this way, all colors can be arranged according to the three
attributes in a three-dimensional space (Figure 4). The neutral
colors are placed along a vertical line, or neutral axis, with
black at the bottom and white at the top. All grays on this axis
are arranged between black and white. The hues are displayed
at various angles around the neutral axis with the chroma scale
is perpendicular to the axis and increasing outward. This three- Figure 3: Munsell color wheel demonstrating arrangement of satura-
dimensional arrangement of colors is called the Munsell color tion, lightness, and hue.
space (Figure 5) [5]. This system was later updated to create the
Munsell Renotation System in which any given color is expressed
as a letter/number combination in terms of hue, value, and
chroma as visually evaluated using Munsell Color Charts [6].
All colors lie within a specific region of Munsell color space
called the “Munsell color solid”. Hue is limited to one turn
around the circle. The scale of value is limited on the lower end
by pure black, which is as dark as a color can be, and on the top
by pure white, which is as light as a color can be. For a given
value, there is a limit to the chroma that is possible, even with Figure 4: 3-D representation of Munsell renotations.

Citation: Ragain JC (2016) A Review of Color Science in Dentistry: Colorimetry and Color Space. J Dent Oral Disord Ther 4(1): 1-5. Page 2 of 5
A Review of Color Science in Dentistry: Colorimetry and Color Space Copyright:
© 2016 Ragain

the horizontal spokes. If the actual colors which exist in the world
were distributed around the solid shown in Figure 5, the color
solid shown in Figure 6 would be created. The shape of the color
solid is somewhat complicated because the size of the steps for
saturation are different for each hue and lightness, but the color
solid helps us to better visualize the relationship between hue,
lightness, and saturation.
In 1931, the Commission International de l’Éclairage (CIE), or
International Commission on Illumination, defined the concept of
the tristimulus values X, Y, and Z [5] based on the three-component
theory of color vision. This theory states the eye possesses
receptors for the three primary colors of red, green, and blue. All
other colors are seen as a mixture of these primary colors [1].
XYZ tristimulus values and the associated Yxy color space form
the foundation of present CIE color spaces. The concept for the
XYZ tristimulus values is based on the three-component theory Figure 7: CIELAB Color Space.
of color vision, which states that the eye possesses receptors for
three primary colors (red, green, and blue) and that all colors
are seen as mixtures of these three primary colors. The XYZ
tristimulus values are calculated using these Standard Observer
color matching functions [5].
The L*a*b* color space (also referred to as CIELAB) is
presently one of the most popular spaces for measuring object
color and is widely used in virtually all fields (Figure 7). It is one of
the uniform color spaces defined by CIE in 1976 in order to reduce
one of the major problems of the original Yxy space: that equal

Figure 8: CIELAB a*, b* chromaticity diagram (Konica Minolta Precise

Color Communication).

distances on the x, y chromaticity diagram did not correspond

to equal perceived color differences. In this space, L* indicates
lightness and a* and b* are the chromaticity coordinates. Figure
8 illustrates the a*, b* chromaticity diagram. In this diagram, the
a* and b* indicate color directions: +a* is the red direction, -a*
is the green direction, +b* is the yellow direction, and -b* is the
Figure 5: Munsell color space.
blue direction. The center is achromatic; as the a* and b* values
increase and the point moves out from the center, the saturation
of the color increases.
Another color space paradigm, the L*C*h color space, uses
the same diagram as the L*a*b* color space, but uses cylindrical
coordinates instead of rectangular coordinates. In this color
space, L* indicates lightness and is the same as the L* of the
L*a*b* color space, C* is chroma, and h is the hue angle. The value
of chroma C* is 0 at the center and increases according to the
distance from the center. Hue angle h is defined as starting at the
+a* axis and is expressed in degrees: 0 would be +a* (red), 90
would be +b* (yellow), 180 would be -a* (green), and 270 would
be -b* (blue).
Figure 6: Munsell color solid. The Hunter Lab color space was developed by R. S. Hunter as

Citation: Ragain JC (2016) A Review of Color Science in Dentistry: Colorimetry and Color Space. J Dent Oral Disord Ther 4(1): 1-5. Page 3 of 5
A Review of Color Science in Dentistry: Colorimetry and Color Space Copyright:
© 2016 Ragain

a more visually uniform color space than the CIE 1931 Yxy color
space. Similar to the CIE L*a*b* space, it remains in use in various
fields, including the paint industry of the US.
Minute color differences are difficult to deal with in industry
anywhere that color is used. In the L*a*b* color space, color
difference can be expressed as a single numerical value, ∆E*ab,
which indicates the size of the color difference but not in what
way the colors are different. ∆E*ab is defined by the following
equation:

∆Eab * = ( ∆L *) + ( ∆a *) + ( ∆b *)
2 2 2
Figure 9: A dental colorimeter: Shofu ShadeEye NCC Tooth Colorim-
eter.
∆Eab* = There are other color difference formulae in use
today; however the CIELAB ∆Eab is still the most widely used in
color research in dentistry.
Colorimeters and spectrophotometers
The tristimulus method of colorimetry involves the use of
an instrument call a colorimeter. This instrument measures the
light reflected from an object using three sensors filtered to the
y
same sensitivity, or color matching functions, ( x (λ), (λ), and
z (λ) as the human eye. The colorimeter therefore calculates the
tristimulus values X, Y, and Z. The following formulas are used to
determine the tristimulus values:
λ Figure 10: A dental spectrophotometer: Olympus America Crystal eye
−
X = K ∫S ( λ ) x(λ ) R(λ )∆λ handheld dental spectrophotometer.

λ
ShadeEye NCC Tooth Colorimeter™). Although the human eye
λ
cannot quantify colors accurately, it’s a relatively simple task with
Y = K ∫S ( λ ) y (( λ ) R ( λ ) ∆λ a colorimeter. As we have seen previously, unlike the subjective
λ expressions commonly used by people to describe colors verbally,
λ
colorimeters express colors numerically according to international
Z = K ∫S ( λ ) z (λ ) R(λ )∆λ
standards. By expressing colors in this way, it makes it possible
for anyone to understand what color is being expressed. Further,
λ
a person’s perception of a single color may change depending
on the background or on the light source illuminating the color.
Where λ is the wavelength of visible light (380-780),
Colorimeters have sensitivities corresponding to those of the
S(λ) is the relative spectral power of the illuminant, ( x (λ),
y human eye, but because they always take measurements using
the same light source and illumination method, the measurement
(λ), and z (λ) are the color matching functions for the CIE 2° conditions will be the same, regardless of whether it’s day or
observer (, R(λ) is the spectral reflectance of the specimen, and K night, indoors or outdoors. This makes accurate measurements
is a normalizing constant and is derives as: simple. Colorimeters can determine tristimulus values easily. The
∆
tristimulus colorimeter has features such as comparatively low
K = 100 / ∫S ( λ ) y (λ )∆λ
price, compact size, superior mobility and simple operation. With
a colorimeter, even minute color differences can be expressed
∆
numerically and easily understood. However, a colorimeter is not
This integration into the three color parameters allow for the appropriate for complex color analysis such as metamerism and
metameristic effect that can occur between two materials with colorant strength [9].
different spectral characteristics. Metamerism occurs when two
materials of identical color under one spectral illuminant have When the color of objects is measured objects with a
different colors under another illuminant [7]. The tristimulus tristimulus colorimeter only numerical color data in various
values can then be converted to the various color spaces. color spaces can be obtained. If a spectrophotometer is used for
measurements, not only can the same types of numerical data
Colorimeters are relatively small and portable [8]. Figure 9 be obtained, but the spectral reflectance graph for that color
is an example of a clinical colorimeter used in dentistry (Shofu can also be obtained. Further, with its high-precision sensor

Citation: Ragain JC (2016) A Review of Color Science in Dentistry: Colorimetry and Color Space. J Dent Oral Disord Ther 4(1): 1-5. Page 4 of 5
A Review of Color Science in Dentistry: Colorimetry and Color Space Copyright:
© 2016 Ragain

and the inclusion of data for a variety of illuminant conditions, Vision. J Dent Oral Disord Ther. 2015;3(1):1-4.
the spectrophotometer can provide higher accuracy than that 2. MacAdams, David L. Color measurement, theme and variations. New
obtainable with a tristimulus colorimeter [5]. An example of York: Springer-Verlag; 1985.
a dental clinical spectrophotometer is the Olympus America
3. Judd DB, Wyszecki G. Color in business, science, and industry. 3rd ed.
Crystaleye™ handheld dental spectrophotometer (Figure 10).
New York: Wiley and Sons; 1975.
A spectrophotometer has high precision and increased 4. Kandel ER, Schwartz JH, Jessell TM, et al. Princilpes of neural
versatility. It is suitable for more complex color analysis because science.5th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill Professional Publishing; 2012.
it can determine the spectral reflectance at each wavelength.
5. Ragain JC. Matching the Optical Properties of Direct Esthetic Dental
However spectrophotometers can be more expensive than Rstorative materials to Those of Human Enamel and Dentin. A
colorimeters. Always consider how accurately each color must dissertation for the partial fullfillment of the requirement for the nf
be measured before selecting the type of instrument to use in a degree Doctor of Philosophy in the Graduate School of The Ohio State
specific application [5]. University: Columbus, OH; 1998.

Conclusion 6. Hunt RWG. Measuring Colour. New York: Ellis Horwood; 1991.

The clinical use of colorimeters and spectrophotometers 7. Johnston WM. Color Measurment in dentistry. J of Dent. 2009; 37: e2-
e6.
to determine the best match of dental material shade is on the
increase in the practice of restorative dentistry. The third and 8. Hunter RS, Harold RW. The measurement of appearance. 2nd ed. New
last article in this series will review the clinical applications of York: Wiley and Sons; 1987.
colorimeters, spectrophotometers, and conventional shade 9. Konica Minolta. Precise Color Communication. Online education.
guides. 2015.

References
1. Ragain JC. A Review of Color Science in Dentistry: The Process of Color

Citation: Ragain JC (2016) A Review of Color Science in Dentistry: Colorimetry and Color Space. J Dent Oral Disord Ther 4(1): 1-5. Page 5 of 5