Atlas · Chapter
Smile.
Ten markers covering what most people mean when they say 'good teeth' — and what they almost always actually mean.
markers in this chapter
10
read time
6 min
why this region
The argument for reading smile carefully.
What people perceive as a 'good smile' is mostly four things: gum-show, tooth color, tooth alignment, and corridor width. Three of those four are addressable in months, not years, and none require surgery. We treat smile findings as some of the most cost-effective in any Atlas.
every marker, in this chapter
The full list.
marker
what we measure
healthy range
Dental show on smile
Upper-tooth visibility
75–100% incisor height
Gingival display
Gum visibility on full smile
0–3mm acceptable
Buccal corridor
Black-space width at smile edges
minimal
Smile cant
Horizontal tilt at corners
< 2° from level
Occlusal plane
Bite-line tilt vs interpupillary
parallel
Tooth color
Shade vs A1 reference
A1–A3
Midline alignment
Dental midline vs facial midline
< 1mm
Incisor edge wear
Visible wear on central incisors
0–3 grade
Smile arc
Upper lip-to-incisor curvature match
consonant
Tooth proportion
Central incisor width/height
0.75–0.85
Most of what makes a smile read well is reversible in months.
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