Perfection, or better to have a natural smile?
The images of utterly perfect smiles are omnipresent in advertising. And you may rightly ask yourself: how is it possible to get such beautiful teeth and such a flawless smile? And often the answer, too, is clear: thanks to computer airbrushing!
“Symmetry” in the face
Both large incisors are symmetrical with one another and should be aligned as far as possible with the centre line of the face. The biting edges – and the entire chewing level – should, as far as possible, be parallel with the eye line (the so-called bipupillary line).
Smile line
The line of the biting edge follows approximately the line of the lower lip.
Tooth length and line of the biting edge
The large/medium-sized incisors are dominant and therefore also the longest. The corner teeth can be almost as long with little wear and tear, but with increasing age and use they get shorter. The small side incisors are shorter than the middle ones.
Dental axes
The dental axes of the incisors and the corner teeth incline slightly towards the mid-line (= down and inwards).
Tooth shape and arch
The basic shape of the teeth can vary from quite round to very square or angular. What is important, though, is that the same basic shape is to be found in all teeth in the set. This basic shape also then creates differences in the rounding of the cutting edges, which has an effect on the “opening” to the neighbouring tooth. The opening and the corner opening on the biting edge increase the further back the teeth go.
Tooth colour and structure
Attractive and natural looking teeth are light in colour and show variation in the degree of translucence on the biting edges or in the level of light refraction. If the teeth are young or less used then they display gently serrated edges to a greater or lesser extent.
Gum line
When smiling, the gums should not be overly visible. The gum line should be as symmetrical as possible, most importantly above the two large incisors, and should gently rise towards the back. The gums completely fill the area between the teeth, curving down in an arch shape with so-called “papillae”.
Yet a targeted analysis also shows that this kind of perfect smile often loses its sense of naturalness: too much symmetry, too flawless – simply not very interesting. In contrast to this, nature works with tiny variations and even these little deviations from absolute symmetry provide the variety that is the spice of life, creating individuality. The result: the monotony is broken up and the overall picture is interesting and attractive for the onlooker.
“A flawless grin” versus “a natural smile”
