SMILE MAKEOVERS
Everyone loves a beautiful smile! But what is it that makes a smile beautiful? Of course, the answer varies from person to person because beauty truly is in the eye of the beholder. But there are some basics that need to be followed. Let’s start with color. We want all the teeth to be fairly uniform in color but with a natural whiteness, not a shining whiteness. This requires that all the teeth involved be made of the same material. No mixing of nature’s enamel, composite fillings, and porcelain! The edges of the teeth need to be in a uniform arc that matches the arc of the lower lip. Most people smile with a minimum of eight upper teeth and therefore a smile makeover should include a minimum of eight upper teeth. Nature has a ratio of 1 to 1.61 that is repeated over and over and has been utilized by such artists as Leonardo de Vinci, Michelangelo and Raphael. This ratio, nicknamed the golden ratio, is the same ratio we use to determine how long versus how wide to make the teeth. And there is the concept of “negative space”, or the areas between the teeth that are not filled with tooth structure. The negative spaces need to look symmetrical or the smile looks “gappy”. These are just a few of the details we pay attention to so that you can get the smile you want.
Smile makeovers usually require two appointments about three weeks apart. The first appointment is to reshape the teeth and obtain an impression to send to our dental laboratory. We try not to rush these fine artists as they often are sculpting the smile in different ways to find out what looks best. At the second appointment the new restorations are bonded into place and a five-step finishing process is completed. As usual we want you to be not just happy, but ecstatic about your new smile!
