The Perfect Smile - How Cosmetic Dentists Design Perfect Teeth

A guide to cosmetic dentistry and how cosmetic dentists design the perfect smile.

Everybody knows when someone's teeth look great, but sometimes it is difficult to work out just what it is about them that makes them look so good. This can particularly be the case for somebody considering cosmetic dentistry or orthodontics. Whilst knowing they are unhappy with the way that their teeth look it can be difficult to work out what it is that needs to be changed. Of course, your cosmetic dentist will understand exactly what needs to be done but it is helpful if you understand the process too if you really want perfect teeth.

Often patients are not sure whether it is the shape of their teeth that are the problem or if it is their alignment. Sometimes it may be a combination of the two. It can be very difficult for patients to visualise what they might look like with a straighter more uniform smile and whiter, more even teeth.

Cosmetic dentists and orthodontists have several principles that help them to design the perfect smile. Below are descriptions and images of what these principles are so that you can compare them to your own teeth.

The width of your two front teeth, divided by the length of those teeth should ideally be 77% according to cosmetic dentists. The closer they are to this proportion the better they will look. Often it is hard to judge this for yourself, however it can be surprising when after orthodontics you notice how uneven your teeth look. This was the case with my own teeth. This can be solved either by having some reshaping where the cosmetic dentists file your teeth, by using bonding which builds up the tooth shape, or veneers which are placed over existing tooth structure.

As far as possible the smile line of your teeth should match the line of your lower lip. This helps to give a more youthful appearance.

In a perfect smile we can see the progression from front to back teeth and the smile appears wide. In a narrower smile the back teeth can appear to be in shadow. This can make the front teeth look as if they are alone. For a perfect smile all teeth should be visible, although this may mean updating non white fillings in molars. This is often what people mean when they talk about widening their arch. It can be achieved by cosmetic dentists through veneers to make the teeth appear fatter or by orthodontics to move the teeth into a new position.

In a perfect smile the front teeth should appear to be in the very centre of the mouth with the line between the two front teeth (the midline) central. This midline should also match up with the midline of the bottom teeth. In reality this can be difficult to achieve and many people look like they have very good teeth without achieving this.

Embrasures are the tiny gaps at the bottom of the teeth as shown in this picture. They should be small at the front teeth and become larger as they move towards the molars. Younger people generally have larger embrasures. Embrasures are one of the things that stop teeth looking like false teeth or piano keys. Teeth without them often have the appearance of false teeth. You should query your cosmetic dentist about this as some cosmetic dentists do not take this into account and can produce very false looking teeth.

Teeth these days are judged on the color they are. Even misaligned teeth can have their appearance dramatically improved just by tooth whitening or bleaching. This can be done either in a dentists office or at home using one of the many whitening systems available. For patients that are not yet ready to take the plunge into cosmetic dentistry whitening can be a great starting point to improve their smile....

Many of these products such as Nite White are the same as those used by dentists and orthodontists in their offices. The only difference is that when you buy them from Amazon they are generally cheaper! Of course, for at home bleaching it is just as important to follow the instructions carefully as it is when you get whitening products from your dentist. If you experience sensitivity you should stop using the product.

These are just some of the principles that cosmetic dentists might use whilst evaluating your smile. One thing they may not tell you however, is whether your smile is already perfect for you. Whilst perfect teeth can look great, sometimes it is the tiny imperfections that give a face character. Kate Moss has small snaggle teeth at the front, but these actually help to make her face more memorable.

Ask a parent or trusted friend- one that you know will be honest- whether you smile needs improving before you embark on a costly and time consuming process that might just change what makes you, you. Cosmetic dentists may give you perfect teeth, but they may not be the perfect teeth for you.