Abstract: A series of die spacers of differing shades are used to match or replicate an assortment of tooth stump or dentin tooth shades. Such die spacers correspond to shades of various manufacturers. This allows the dentist to approximate the proper shade of the tooth preparation in his prescription of a translucent restoration which is communicated to the technician. The technician then applies onto the die of the tooth preparation a die spacer closely matching the chosen tooth stump shade, allowing the technician to wax-up over the die with the selected die spacer. The die spacer retains the traditional function of creating the necessary space under the wax pattern or wax-up. After removal of the wax-up from the die, it is processed, following the manufacturer's procedures, to make a non-opacious substructure of, for example, a translucent ceramic restoration.