Color in natural teeth and direct resin composite restorations: essential aspects.

This article presents the essential aspects for understanding and reproducing the color of natural teeth with the use of direct resin composite. Fluorescence and opalescence are discussed, with special emphasis on counter-opalescence, which is primarily responsible for the appearance of an orange discoloration at the mamelon dentin tips and incisal edges of anterior teeth. The dynamics of color in natural teeth in relation to age is also discussed, focusing on the age-related changes that occur in enamel, dentin, and pulp. Further, it is demonstrated how to reproduce the esthetic features of natural teeth using latest-generation direct resin composites.