Most of the time this is not a problem. Match the shade guide to the patient's gum and then ask the patient for approval. You can also match your shade guide to an old set of dentures.

Occasionally there are dark skinned individuals who will want a very dark denture. This is especially true if they have old dentures with this dark shade of acrylic.

There are three dark shades available that are not on your shade guide. From dark to darkest, they are: 199D, Moderate, and Ethnic. You can get these guides in the lab.

There is no self curing repair acrylic for Moderate or Ethnic. The technician uses (the darkest self curing material)199D quickset repair acrylic with some Moderate or Ethnic heat-cured acrylic to get good esthetic repairs. (The heat-cured acrylic is used as a darkening agent.)

©1999 by Julius Rosen, D.D.S.