Abstract: An anterior tooth characterization guide includes several sets of anterior tooth samples which each have differing characteristics. The characterization guide is useful in connection with a method for selecting characterizations for an anterior tooth prosthesis and a process for fabricating a characterized tooth prosthesis, which permit a dentist to relay to a laboratory an accurate representation of the tooth prosthesis to be manufactured. In this regard, the characterization guide is utilized to select a dentin color for the tooth prosthesis from several tooth samples in which the incisal color is constant. The body to incisal relation for the tooth prosthesis may also be selected from tooth samples in which the dentin is constant, and the amount of white stain for the tooth prosthesis may be selected from the tooth samples in which the dentin and enamel are constant.

Abstract: An anterior tooth characterization guide includes several sets of anterior tooth samples which each have differing characteristics. The characterization guide is useful in connection with a method for selecting characterizations for an anterior tooth prosthesis, which permits a dentist to relay to a laboratory an accurate representation of the tooth prosthesis to be manufactured. In this regard, the characterization guide is utilized to select a dentin color for the tooth prosthesis from several tooth samples in which the incisal color is constant. The body to incisal relation for the tooth prosthesis may also be selected from tooth samples in which the dentin is constant, and the amount of white stain for the tooth prosthesis may be selected from the tooth samples in which the dentin and enamel are constant.

Abstract: A posterior tooth shade guide includes a plurality of posterior tooth samples each positionable upon a posterior tooth holder and bearing differing tooth characteristics. Several of the tooth samples have differing white stain characteristics, others have differing brown stain characteristics, and still others have differing incisal layer colors. Another set have differing percentages of the incisal that covers the body of the tooth prosthesis. A selector ring is provided to permit the selection of a specific brown stain color. Utilizing the posterior tooth shade guide, a dentist and the laboratory may utilize a method for selecting characterizations of a tooth prosthesis wherein the posterior tooth samples are utilized to select: brown stain characteristics, white stain characteristics, incisal layer color, and the percentage of the incisal that covers the body of the tooth prosthesis.