If you are considering a smile makeover or simply need new crowns, you probably have questions about how your new teeth are planned. A good cosmetic dentist can help create an aesthetically pleasing smile that works harmoniously with your facial features. It is a process that blends artistry with technical skill.
At Broadway Family Dental, your dentist can assess your facial features, smile, and existing teeth to help determine an approach that complements your overall appearance.
In this article, you will learn more about the different shapes of teeth and how they affect your facial features. You will also learn about the modern techniques used to plan smile makeovers, such as digital smile design.
How Does the Shape of My Teeth Affect My Facial Appearance?
The shape and size of your teeth matter tremendously and can significantly affect your overall facial appearance. Choosing the wrong size and shape of teeth can create an unnatural and false-looking appearance that isn’t flattering.
Assessing The Proportions of Your Face
As a general rule, if you have an oval-shaped face, your teeth are likely to be square, providing your smile with a fuller and more complete look.
If you have a heart-shaped face, you’re more likely to suit teeth that are shorter and softly rounded. If you have a face that is round-shaped, your teeth will probably look better if they are slightly longer and larger.
There is no need to worry about this too much as a skilled cosmetic dentist will know the shape of teeth that will best suit your facial shape and can advise you accordingly. They must also consider various other factors.
Below are some of the points your cosmetic dentist will consider.
Smile Arch
When you see your dentist, they will look at your smile line as, ideally, it should follow a natural arch, mimicking the contour of your lower lip. If your teeth are too flat and are all the same length, it can create a less natural-looking appearance and may be prematurely aging. It can look as if your teeth have worn flat over years of use.
Facial Contours
Your dentist will want to assess your facial contours and ask what kind of appearance you want.
Choosing the right shaped teeth can help soften the lines of your facial features, which can be important if you want to celebrate your femininity. Conversely, you can select teeth that create a more masculine appearance.
For example, while feminine teeth are soft and rounded with no excessive contours, more masculine teeth will have bolder contours and ridges.
Supporting Your Lips
Your teeth help support the muscles in your cheeks and lips. Selecting the right shape and size can help create a well-balanced and harmonious facial appearance where everything is in proportion. If your teeth aren’t large or long enough, it can affect the support for your lips. As a result, your lips may appear to be too thin for your facial features.
Your Age
It’s not unusual to find older people with worn down and shorter teeth, which are all the same height, creating a flat incisal line. If your teeth look like this, consider whether your new veneers will follow this look or if you would prefer a more youthful appearance.
When teeth are more youthful, the upper front teeth are typically longer than the lateral incisors on either side, while the canines are slightly longer than the central and lateral incisors.
The shape of your teeth isn’t the only factor you need to consider. The other is the color of your new veneers or crowns.
Choosing the Right Shade of Teeth
Your new teeth can be made in a wide range of shades, especially if you intend to have veneers covering all the teeth visible when you smile. In this case, there is no need for your cosmetic dentist to try to match the shade of your veneers to your natural teeth, and you can choose to go a little brighter and whiter.
However, if you are looking for a natural appearance, you must choose carefully. Your cosmetic dentist can show you a range of shades and advise you on which are the most popular and which might look best, providing you with a beautiful, healthy-looking smile.
Below are some tips to follow when choosing your veneer shade.
- As a general rule, your teeth shouldn’t be any whiter than the whites of your eyes.
- If you have very pale skin, you can choose a whiter shade, as there won’t be so much contrast between the color of your skin and the color of your teeth.
- People with darker complexions don’t need to pick such a white shade of teeth to get a natural look. It can be best to steer clear of the so-called Hollywood shades that are bleached bright white.
Remember, your cosmetic dentist can customize the appearance of each veneer. It needn’t be the same shade from the gumline down to the incisal line, as skilled dental technicians can use several shades to create a more natural appearance. Using several shades is much closer to nature, as your own teeth likely have several different colors, from the gum to the incisal or biting edge.
Using Digital Dentistry to Visualize Your Smile
Previously, cosmetic dentists would create a wax-up model, using a model of your teeth that has been modified to show how your new teeth will look and their approximate size and shape. While this technique is still used, more dentists are adopting digital smile design.
What Is Digital Smile Design?
Digital dentistry uses photographs and digital scans of your teeth and photographs of your facial features to custom-design your new smile. Your cosmetic dentist can manipulate these images to show you how various types of tooth shapes and colors will look so you can see how they could improve your appearance.
It’s an excellent tool for patients to become more involved with smile makeovers. It means you can work with your cosmetic dentist to design your new smile to your specifications.
For example, perhaps you have a certain feature you’d like to keep, such as a small gap between your front teeth or a tooth that is slightly crooked, ensuring you create a more natural-looking appearance. Alternatively, some people may opt for a brighter, whiter, cosmetically perfect smile. It’s down to your personal preference. It’s a huge advantage to see your new look on screen and check whether you will like your new teeth.
Once your cosmetic dentist has completed your smile design, they may use this to create temporary veneers, closely replicating the smile design. These are worn while your permanent veneers are fabricated, allowing you to try out your new smile. The advantage of this approach is that you can make any small tweaks or changes to the appearance of your new veneers before they are made.
Choosing the Right Cosmetic Dentist
When choosing your cosmetic dentist for your new teeth, ask if they have any before and after photos of real patients or letters of recommendation. Check that they have the necessary skills, experience, and passion for cosmetic dentistry.
Most importantly, ensure you like your dentist and can talk freely and work with them to create your beautiful new smile.
Ready to Plan Your New Smile?
If you’re considering veneers, crowns, or a complete smile makeover, Broadway Family Dental can help you explore your options and create a treatment plan based on your goals and facial features. Contact Broadway Family Dental today to schedule a consultation and discuss the smile you’d like to achieve.
Broadway Family Dental
372 Stockton St,
Brooklyn, NY 11206
(Bushwick, Williamsburg, Bedford-Stuyvesant)
(718) 455-4400