Color specification of two new resin composites and influence of stratification on their chromatic perception

Accurate color reproduction in conservative dentistry is fundamental to the aesthetic success of the restorations. The need to specify the color objectively has been known for some years, and this article aims to make a contribution to this field. This work is part of a multidisciplinary research project, and it has a double aim. The first purpose was to measure the color differences between the two new composite resin restorative materials and the most used dental color scale. Measurements show some differences from color shades indicated by the manufacturers and those obtained from experimental data. The influence of different order of enamel and dentin layers on color perception was also investigated to evaluate clinical strategies useful to obtain desired result. Relevant differences are observed in the stratification of dentin and enamel discs especially for one of the two studied composites.