Color and translucency of resin composites for layering techniques

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the colors of resin composites used for the layering technique, as well as the translucency at various thickness. For the purpose of calculating the translucency parameter (TP), black and white backings were used to evaluate the CIELAB parameters of Filtek Supreme (3M) and Gradia Direct (GC) disks of various thicknesses (0.5, 1.0, 2.0, 3.0 and 4.0 mm) and of three different shades (enamel-shade, body-shade, and opaque-shade). As for the color of each shade, it was evaluated using 4mm thick specimens on the white backing. Regarding TP, the opaque-shades were less translucent than the other shades. It was also found that translucency increased exponentially as thickness was reduced--regardless of shade. Regarding color, enamel-shades were more bluish (especially in GD) compared to the other shades, and the opaque-shades displayed a brighter and yellowish characteristic. In the layering technique, it is fundamental to have an accurate knowledge about the translucency and colors of the materials/shades used.