A method and apparatus for communicating specific idiosyncrasies in tooth appearance to be replicated in the fabrication of tooth restorations, as well as a method for creating reference images of a tooth are disclosed. The apparatus contains images of a tooth, wherein categories of specific features are displayed in the images, and codes are assigned to the images according to variations within the categories. The method of communication utilizes the apparatus by allowing a first user to compare an actual tooth to the images, record the codes for images with features that most closely resemble the actual tooth, and transmit the codes to a second user who may reference the same selected images using the recorded codes. The reference images of a particular type of tooth are created by separating and enhancing specific features in photographs of an actual tooth.