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Fig 8a-b: Clinical presentation of the patient’s tooth shade before whitening (Figure 8a) and results after the completion of the two-week at-home
procedure (Figure 8b).

during various whitening procedures. In
addition to the already well-known functions
that provide information on the hue, value and
chroma and bleached index of each measured
tooth, upgrade progress is reflected in the
ability to measure the bleached index on the
six anteriores, expressing the average value
of the same (Figures 1 and 2). Transferring
information to the photo of the patient in the
free and accessible mobile application VITA
mobileAssist+ (Figures 3-5) and simulation
of a possible future solution (Figure 6) are
convenient, added features. It should be
noted that the software solution produces a
simulation (although digital) that is very real
and natural, which is not always the case in
other programs and represents a major advance
in digital technology.
The described procedure can be performed
several times, depending on the type of
whitening protocol, so it is very easy to
remember the average values and compare
them. A bleached index is a relative number
that expresses a certain level of lightness and
saturation that is inversely proportional, i.e. a
high value of the index represents low lightness
and high saturation (what the observer sees as
a darker tooth), and a low index means high
lightness and low saturation (what the eye of
Fig 9: Digital representation of the change after the whitening process with basic shade data. the beholder sees as a lighter tooth). Logically,
a high bleached index is an indication for the
whitening process, and at the same time, this
and lighting conditions (standardized), which is sometimes not very successful. value should gradually decrease (Figure 7) and
In the last decade, various digital tools have been developed that allow us to correctly the tooth shade should become lighter and
set the indications for the whitening process and monitor changes in tooth shade by less intense (Figure 8). All simulations can be
expressing shade parameters in numbers. This way, we can mathematically calculate and digitally sent to the patient and stored in their
express each shade change and avoid unnecessary problems by proving that the whitening files.
procedure was successful in a situation where the patient claims not to see the change. One The advantage of the described upgrade is
of the most commonly used digital tools is the VITA Easyshade V digital spectrophotometer manifested in the simplicity of the assessment
(VITAZahnfabrik, Bad Säckingen, Germany), which has been used for many years for of tooth shade expressed by a one-digit or
assessingshade in whitening treatmentsand in dental prosthodontics, to determine the shade two-digit number that represents the relative
of natural teeth and ceramic material. value of the shade parameters relevant to
At the IDS 2021 fair held in September 2021, VITA presented the latest program update the whitening process. This way, both the
of this spectrophotometer (new module) intended specifically for monitoring shade changes patient and the dentist can easily obtain shade

Dental Practice i July-August 2023 i Vol 19 No 4 53