Cosmetic Smile Design
How to do your own Smile Analysis

What makes an attractive smile? Why are some smiles better and younger looking than others? Why are some smiles radiantly beautiful while other’s are average? While “Mother Nature” gifted some people with great smiles, many are left wishing that they hadn’t been overlooked. While you may know a nice smile when you see it, it’s harder to explain exactly what makes a nice smile.

This Smile Design Report will help you better understand why some people have a great smile while other’s don’t. It will help you analyze the state of your own smile, and will show you the principles of smile design used and taught by world class cosmetic dentists like Dr. Ostler.

There is both a science and an art to creating and restoring attractive smiles. Whether it is whiter teeth, fixing crooked teeth with “instant orthodontics”, replacing unattractive dark fillings, or restoring an aged worn out smile and taking 10 years off your face - modern dentistry can quickly and easily give you the perfect smile that exudes confidence and will let your true personality shine. In fact, when new dental materials, techniques and modern smile design principles are combined and used by expert and caring hands you can be assured that your smile will be extraordinarily radiant and your dental health outstanding.

When these basic rules of Smile Design and Golden Proportion are broken, whether by nature, yourself, or your dentist, your smile and confidence can be seriously compromised. When followed, you can enjoy a radiant smile with all the confidence, natural attraction and peace-of-mind that goes with it.

Having a pretty smile goes way beyond whiter teeth. Size, shape, alignment and proportion, (or what the Greeks called the “Golden Proportion”) are also important parameters of beauty. In fact, the Golden Proportion is in nature itself. Designers have followed these principles in designing cars, furniture, building, and clothing. When rules of good proportion are followed the result is something that is naturally attractive and pleasing to the eye! This is the one grand secret to exquisite smile design and to having an attractive smile. Attractive smiles are attractive because they follow these mathematical rules of nature to create harmony, symmetry, and proportion. Oh – and the fact that your teeth are whiter – that’s a bonus!

As you review this information, compare your smile with the examples shown. This is an easy way to take the mystery out of “what’s wrong with my smile?” By using these principles it will help you know what we can do to design and create the right smile for you, one that will let your true personality and character come out.

We encourage you to think seriously about the benefits to health, spirit and mind that comes from the confidence of having a radiant smile, a balanced bite, and healthy strong teeth. You are always welcome to visit with us further if you have questions or concerns about your smile or your dental health, or if you want to put together a plan to begin making improvements along the way. In the meantime, you may benefit by visiting these web sites to help you better understand how you can benefit from modern dentistry.

[Lvidocs.com & CenterForDentalHealth.com]

What are your answers to these important questions?

1. How important is it to keep your natural teeth for a lifetime?
2. How would you like your teeth to look in 15 years?
3. What is the most important thing about your teeth?
4. If money weren’t an issue and if you could change anything about your smile, what would it be?

The following list of dental problems can have an impact in the quality of your smile. Check all that apply:

What follows is a schematic outline, description and visual example of common cosmetic problems. While not a complete list, these examples illustrate the principles of Cosmetic Smile Design, balance and proportion. You can use these examples as references to compare your own situation and appearance. You may find it helpful to use a mirror or a close-up photograph of your smile.

Central Incisor Width / Height Ratio: The W/H ratio should be 75-80%. This means the front teeth should look like a rectangle, not a square. They should appear taller than they are wide. If the height were 10.5 mm and the width 8.0 mm, the ratio would equal 76%.
Mesial Inclination: The front teeth should have a visual inclination or tilt that is toed-in slightly toward the midline (mesial). If these lines were extended downward they would meet or converge at or near the navel on the abdomen.
Color, Shading, Stains, Markings: Are the teeth a uniform bright color or shade? Is one tooth darker than the rest? Are there white or dark spots or markings on the enamel?
Midline Placement and Cant: Is the Midline between the Central Incisors centered left/right in the face, and aligned with the chin, nose, lower teeth, eyes? Is the Midline canted or tilted left or right?
Smile at Rest: Evaluate the amount of teeth showing at rest or with a slight smile. Middle aged adults should show 2.0-4.0 mm. This amount decreases with age as the window of the mouth begins showing more lower teeth.
Gum line Symmetry: Is the gum line symmetrical or matched on left and right sides? canine teeth?
Gum line Margin Heights : The gum line over the lateral incisor should be below a straight line drawn from central to canine gum lines.
Gummy Smile: How much gum tissue shows with a full smile? Ideally there should be about 1 mm above the centrals and 3 mm above the lateral incisor gum line.
Gaps or Diastema: Are there gaps or spaces between the teeth? These can be natural or due to missing teeth.
Gingival Zenith: The height of the gum line across the face of the tooth should be centered on the lateral incisors, and positioned in the back 1/3rd of the face of the tooth for the centrals and canines.
Smile Line Follows Lower Lip: The incisal edge line should follow or parallel the lower lip line in a relaxed or partial smile.
Horizontal Plane: The left-right horizontal plane of the mouth should parallel the floor or the horizon when standing. It should also parallel a line drawn between the eyes (the inter-pupillary line). The horizontal plane from front to back should also the parallel the floor when, with the upper back teeth slightly higher than the plane.
Gum Tissue Health / Bad Breath: The gums are part of the soft-tissue “frame” that outlines the teeth and smile. Healthy gums are light pink and stippled (like an orange). Healthy gums do not bleed. Bacteria causes inflammation, gingivitis and bad breath.
Flossing Contact Point: The flossing contact point between the front teeth steps upward with each tooth.
Incisal Embrasure: Between the front teeth on the biting edge, the size of the silhouette or outline shape between the front teeth, should increase in size going back away from the midline.
Mal-alignment or Crowding: Teeth should be even and straight. Crowding happens when there isn’t enough room for the teeth to fit evenly side-by-side.
Golden Proportion Ratio: Measure the ‘absolute’ width of a central incisor tooth on a photo in millimeters. Divide this number by the width of the same-side lateral incisor width. (Example: If central incisor width on photo is 21mm and the same-side lateral equals 14mm, then 21/14 = 1.5. If the same side Canine is 8mm, then 8/14 = 0.57) Ideal ratios are shown at left and are called the “Golden Proportion”.

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