A Descriptive Clinical Study to Stratify Incisal Translucency Patterns

Colors are the smiles of nature. The ultimate objective of esthetics in dentistry is to replicate the natural anatomy of the tooth in order to create a beautiful smile. There are parameters that ensure the replication of natural tooth morphology of which translucency and opacity have been viewed as the most important properties. They are indicators of the quality and quantity of light reflection. Light reflected from incisal morphology on the labial surface of anterior teeth adds to vitality, whereas less vitality is evident when the anatomy is worn with age. Changes in the color or translucent pattern of natural teeth with aging are generally attributed to changes in translucency of the enamel and dentin layers. Therefore, the knowledge of human tooth translucency and distribution in terms of age is critical to replicate in esthetically pleasing anterior restorations. Thus, the aim of this study is to assess the differences in the incisal patterns between age groups and sex in a convenience sample of the population. Keywords: Stratification, Smile, Translucency, Color, Aesthetics