A patient's existing crown is described as strikingly white while the adjacent natural teeth are markedly yellow. Which dimension of colour is the primary mismatch?

Correct answer: B. Value

• A. Hue is the basic colour family (the A, B, C, D families in the Vita shade guide) — the difference here is not one of colour family.
• B. Correct. VALUE is the lightness or darkness of a colour, and it is the MOST IMPORTANT dimension in shade matching. The human eye detects value discrepancies before it notices hue or chroma errors, which is exactly why a crown that is too 'white' (too high in value) leaps out. Practical tip: squinting reduces colour perception and isolates value, which is why clinicians squint when shade matching.
• C. Translucency affects the vitality and depth of appearance but is not the primary error described.
• D. Chroma is the saturation or intensity of the hue. It contributes, but the dominant perceived error in a 'too white' restoration is brightness.