The Perfect Smile...

The adage, “Your smile says it all,” is full of truth. Your smile can be your passport to life. Some have beautiful ones, and other don’t – but not to fear, if nature was not generous in giving you the perfect smile, you can dramatically improve it through cosmetic dentistry. Females can add beauty to their face with makeup. Men, however, beyond the tolls of facial hygiene, shaving and dying their hair, are more limited than women in their ability to enhance their appearances. Regardless of gender, the only “makeup” when it concerns teeth is an over-the-counter bleaching agent, but that’s not really the best way to whiten teeth. A professional consultation with your dentist is the first step.

Having whiter teeth does not guarantee a good smile. There is far more in a beautiful smile to consider than color alone. Allow me to guide you through the journey of analyzing your smile. Before we begin, it important to note: please don’t be overly critical with yourself. The “perfect smile” is a goal toward which we strive. Perfection is rare, but a nonetheless a good goal to have.

To analyze your smile, first observe your face. Just as your teeth and lips constitute an important part of your face, the total picture must also be taken into consideration. Males – clean your face, shave and comb your hair. Females – apply makeup and pull your hair back to expose the entire face. Sit down in front of a mirror with ample light, and imagine the face divided vertically into two halves (just as the brain is).

This imaginary dividing line passes through the middle of the forehead down through the tip of the nose through the middle of the lips to the tip of the chin. If you imagine that line when you're smiling with your upper and lower lips apart, this line divides the central teeth passing right between them. In dentistry, this is called the “midline.” It is the first criterion in a beautiful smile. To the left and right of the line, there should be two equal halves of your face – and in analyzing your smile from the midline point of view; there should be two central teeth that are equally divided by this line.

• Does one tooth cross this line to the other side?
• Do you have a space between these two teeth, and if so, is the space equally divided or is one of the teeth closer to the midline than the other?

Next, examine the two teeth adjacent to them. They should be identical, but on the opposite side of the midline. Check for overlapping, size, harmony and existing space. Next, move to the “eye” teeth applying the same principles. When this is complete, you have analyzed your upper six teeth in a smiling position for symmetry and midline. Continue looking at your smile concentrating on these six teeth, but ask yourself:

• Are the teeth too yellow (or brown)?
• Do they have fillings that don’t match the color of teeth?
• Do spaces exist between these teeth?
• Do these teeth stick out, making your upper lip protrude?
• Do they “lay back” making your upper lip sink in?
• Are they all the same length, worn looking? The two central teeth should be slightly longer than the adjacent ones. Even and worn-looking teeth portray an older smile.

Analyze the length of your teeth. An attractive smile occurs when the upper six teeth barely touch the lower lip. Don’t consider other factors yet. Next to the midline, the “lipline” (vermillion junction) is the most important aspect of your smile. Regardless of gender, the correct relationship of the upper teeth to the lower lipline is an essential ingredient to the perfect smile.

For a great smile, you should see:

• Six beautiful upper front teeth with the left and right sides mirroring each other.
• Most of these six teeth should show up to the gumline. A little gum may show; too much is not pleasing.
• The length of the teeth should be determined by the upward curvature of the lower lip.
• They should not be covered by it, nor be short of it.
• Only the tip of the lower teeth may show in this position.

Next, consider the corners of the mouth. There are many teeth located behind the “eye” teeth, but in a straight-on smile, they should show minimally. The two teeth located directly behind the “eye” teeth should show a little when a person smiles, leaving a dark area (with no light at all) in the corners of the lips. These corners are essential to the symmetry and beauty of the face. The edges of the dark corners should be located directly below the pupils of the eyes.

You’ve successfully analyzed your smile by looking directly at your face, but without motion. Note, the front upper six teeth are the dominant teeth in a smile, but make no mistake, there are many unpleasant smiles with these perfect six upper teeth. Why? Because we’re constantly in expressive motion and the remaining teeth beyond the upper front six, play a major role in the perfect smile.

Keep in mind that when you're the “star of the party,” people are looking at you from every angle. When you groom your hair, you pay attention to the appearance from the back, as well. More of your teeth show when you speak and laugh. It is safe to assume that at some time or another, most of your teeth are seen – not only those in the front.

Don’t make the mistake of caring only for those. All of your teeth are crucial to your health and overall appearance. You can put makeup on your face, but not on your teeth, and unlike skin cells, teeth do not renew themselves. Sometimes, nature isn’t as generous when teeth are involved; however, the good news is that modern dentistry can fix it.