The color perception of the human eye is highly subjective. In clinical conditions, the color selection is usually performed by subjective comparison of teeth with shade standards made from various materials. The objective discernment of color is very important for material as well as for clinical research in dentistry. The article presents an overview of the commonly used systems for color description (CIE, Munsell systems) and their historical development. The applicable methods for determination of color change for prosthetic materials and for measurement of the tooth in vivo are described.Problems of measurement (e.g.Edge Loss Error) are discussed in detail and published results are reviewed.

        Key words: color – shade matching – colorimetry – spectrophotometry