Aesthetic dentistry is a field of dentistry which aims at making teeth look better.

Originally, beautification techniques were developed for models, film stars and anybody who needed a beautiful smile in their field of work, and this used to entail certain health risks. But dentists made an effort to improve these procedures and make them available to a larger number of people. The techniques and materials used nowadays have been tested and proven over a long period of time.

Orthopedic therapy, veneers (ceramic caps) and/or ceramic crowns can be used to treat unsightly gaps, displacements, dark teeth which cannot be whitened (once a result of root treatments) and a pleasing appearance is created. Preliminary bleaching can lead to an even better result. Gum transplants and operations used to build up bone can also be used to balance out the red and white coloring in the mouth.

A beautiful smile can be measured, based on the beauty ideals of a specific culture – for example Asians have different ideas of beauty than do Europeans. The animation shows a smile which is perceived as beautiful in Europe and America:

The gums are a pale pink, surround the tooth tightly and are dimpled (like an orange)

The upper front tooth is the brightest, the next one slightly darker and the third is the darkest

A smile counts as young and dynamic if it shows more of the upper teeth

The symmetry of the upper teeth is especially important for a balanced look, while slight asymmetry in the teeth of the lower jaw results in a more natural look

Moreover, a harmonious appearance also depends on the right mix of surface and spatial contrasts as well as translucense and opalecense, to get a more natural look

Other parameters for a beautiful smile are geometry and the right amounts of white and red

The highest point of the gums is further out in the case of the first tooth and is not centered

The midline of the first tooth should fit under the midline of the face

The gums of the second tooth are 1 mm below the imaginary line between the first and the third

The cutting edge of the second tooth is usually one 1 mm between the first and the third

The contact surfaces get smaller the further back you go

The interincisal triangles get larger the further back you go

The parts of the teeth which are visible from the front have a specific position in relation to each other