Perceptibility and acceptability of lightness difference of a single maxillary central incisor

• Published in: Journal of esthetic and restorative dentistry 2024-07, Vol.36 (7), p.1068-1074
• Main Authors: Ntovas, Panagiotis, Diamantopoulou, Sofia, Johnston, William Michael, Papazoglou, Efstratios
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: acceptability threshold; Adult; Age; Color; Dentists; Female; Gender; Humans; Incisor; Incisors; laypersons; lightness difference; Male; Maxilla; Middle Aged; perceptibility threshold; Perception; Perceptions; Young Adult
• ISSN: 1496-4155; 1708-8240; 1708-8240
• DOI: 10.1111/jerd.13245

Objectives The aim of this study was to assess the lightness difference perceptibility and acceptability thresholds, for a single maxillary central incisor, and to investigate possible differences in these thresholds regarding the direction (+ΔL* vs. −ΔL*), the observer group (dentists vs. laypersons), and the gender and age of the observers. Materials and Methods A series of images with varying lightness (L*), were created by altering the right maxillary central incisor of a male Caucasian, on a frontal view full‐portrait image. Digital modification of one central incisor by 1 ΔL* unit resulted in 15 different images: one control, seven with increased and seven with decreased lightness. The images were presented in random order, on a digitally calibrated monitor, to 158 observers, grouped into 79 dentists, and 79 laypersons, who were asked to evaluate every image and answer whether they perceive a difference and if yes, whether they accept this difference. A multifactorial analysis of covariance was performed to analyze the perception and acceptance of any difference in the central incisors and to estimate the thresholds. The statistical significance level was α = 0.05. Results Overall, the magnitude of ΔL*, direction of ΔL*, observer group and age were each significant (p