  The ambiguity involved in the definition of effective-mass Hamiltonians for
nonrelativistic models is resolved using the Dirac equation. The multistep
approximation is extended for relativistic cases allowing the treatment of
arbitrary potential and effective-mass profiles without ordering problems. On
the other hand, if the Schrodinger equation is supposed to be used, our
relativistic approach demonstrate that both results are coincidents if the
BenDaniel and Duke prescription for the kinetic-energy operator is implemented.
Applications for semiconductor heterostructures are discussed.
