Assessing the effect of multibracket appliance treatment on tooth color by using electronic measurement.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to investigate how tooth color is affected by multibracket appliance (MBA) treatment.

METHODS: The color of teeth #14 to #24 of 15 patients with MBA was measured on body and gingival tooth segments using the spectrophotometer Shade Inspector™. Colors of both segments were recorded before start of MBA treatment (baseline T0 ), end of MBA treatment (T1 ; 2 years ±0.3), and 3 months after T1 (T2 ). A 2D color system and a 3D system served as reference systems. Multilevel models were used to analyze color change within segments and to compare the difference in color change between segments (treatment effect).

RESULTS: 2D system. Changes within tooth segments from T0 to T2 were at worst 2.0 units (ΔE in the gingival segment), which is less than the threshold of 2.7 units for a clinically meaningful difference. Confidence intervals for the treatment effect indicated no clinically important differences in color change between body and gingival segments. 3D system. Changes within tooth segments from T0 to T2 were at worst 2.3 units (ΔE in the body segment), which is less than the threshold of 2.7 units for a clinically meaningful difference. Confidence intervals for the treatment effect indicated no clinically important differences in color change between body and gingival segments. Thus, MBA treatment did not lead to clinically relevant changes in tooth color.

CONCLUSION: Within the limitation of this study the MBA treatment can be seen as a safe method with respect to tooth color.