Dental Admissions Test (DAT) Practice Test 2025 - Free DAT Practice Questions and Study Guide

The underlying dentin layer is primarily responsible for the characteristic color of teeth. Dentin is a calcified tissue that lies beneath the enamel and plays a crucial role in tooth coloration. It has a natural hue that can range from yellowish to grayish, and this color influences the overall shade of the teeth. The thickness and translucency of the enamel above it can either enhance or diminish the appearance of this underlying color but do not determine it.

Enamel thickness does affect how light interacts with the teeth, which can impact the perception of color, but it is the dentin that fundamentally defines the inherent shade of the tooth. Surface stains, while they can change the color we perceive temporarily, are external and do not contribute to the intrinsic color of the tooth structure. Composite fillings may have their own color, but they do not represent the natural coloration of teeth and therefore are not responsible for their characteristic color.