Here’s What a “Beautiful” Smile Looks Like

Beauty may be in the eye of the beholder, but most of us are aware of basic traits that make a smile attractive, like the straightness of teeth, or the spacing between them. Is there a true definition of a “beautiful” smile, and if so, how can you achieve it? Your experts on Cosmetic dentistry in Northgate have a list of scientifically proven traits that the brain assesses when looking at a smile and the different options that can help to enhance them.

What Makes a Smile “Beautiful?”

What makes a smile “attractive” is a combination of factors that the human brain is taking into consideration when looking at another person. Here is a list of those traits, many of which you probably weren’t even aware you were noticing:

• Tooth color: This is one of the first things we notice, and over time, teeth can become stained and turn yellow.
• Gum display and color: Just the right combination of gum and teeth is ideal for an attractive smile. Too little or too much gum exposure can make it look irregular. Additionally, if the gums are not the standard pink color, it can signal gum disease, which is never attractive.
• Smile arc: The shape of your mouth when you smile is your arc, which should be a slight curve upward that becomes narrower toward the ends of each side of your lips.
• Maxillary Gum Line: This is the line where your upper teeth and gums touch, and it should be symmetrical.
• Incisal edge: Your two front teeth and their symmetry make up the incisal edge. The more symmetrical they are, the more attractive the smile.
• Buccal corridor: The buccal corridor is the opening in the area between your teeth and the corner of your mouth when you smile. In this case, too much or too little negative space can make the mouth look too large or overcrowded.
• Cant: This is another name for the tilt of your teeth. Ideally, they should be straight up and down. Teeth leaning backward or forward can make a smile less attractive.
• Spacing: The space between each tooth in the mouth should be equal and touch slightly. If teeth overlap or are spread too far apart, this can affect the smile negatively.
• Overbite: Overbite occurs when the upper teeth extend too far over the lower teeth, causing the smile to have a different midline than the face, producing the appearance of asymmetry.

Every smile is unique, and while there is no textbook definition of exactly what a “beautiful” smile looks like, the above traits that can help you to understand what makes it up. This will enable you to make the best decisions on behalf of your own smile.

How Can I Enhance My Smile?

No one person or smile is completely perfect, but with all of the evolving technologies in cosmetic dentistry, your dentist can offer you a multitude of options in regards to veneers, whitening, and much more, so that you can have the beautiful smile you’ve always wanted.