What is North Vancouver Smile Design?

95% of adults will remember an attractive smile. It projects an image of confidence and fulfillment. We work with you to develop the smile you desire, whether it is a more youthful, brighter smile or enhancing your natural teeth as they are. Smile Design is a highly technical process that requires a diverse knowledge background as well as a strong artistic ability that must be perfected by extensive experience. The process requires precise measurements to create your perfect smile based on your unique mouth shape, gum lines, lips, and the natural shape of your teeth. The final result is a natural smile that is stronger, more functional, and will make you appear more youthful and energetic.

Principles of Smile Design

If a picture is worth a thousand words, a beautiful smile is priceless. To design the most aesthetically pleasing and optimally functional smile, we follow the nine main Principles of Smile Design taking into account your unique facial features. For example, we can use characteristics such as tooth shape to compliment or enhance the shape of your face.

Midline

Symmetry is a defining feature of an attractive smile. By ensuring symmetry of the two front teeth as well as neighbouring teeth, the appearance of symmetry can be created in your entire smile.

Horizontal Alignment

Smile lines that are parallel to the horizontal axis of your face are generally considered most attractive.

Smile Line

One of the most important characteristics of a great smile, a smile line is created by drawing an imaginary line from the biting edges of the back teeth around to the front teeth. A curved smile line makes you appear significantly younger. A smile line where the teeth appear straight across ages you because it looks like the product of years of wear.

Gum Line

The most aesthetic smiles have symmetrical gum lines that follow the upper lip.

Smile Width

In the ideal smile, the teeth towards the back of the mouth can be seen in progression. If the smile is narrow, the back teeth are often in shadow causing the sides of the smile to appear dark.

Embrasures

Embrasures are the natural, slight triangular spaces between the tips of your teeth. The most natural, youthful looking smile has small embrasure spaces at the front which gradually get larger towards the back teeth. Teeth with edges that are perfectly flat with one tooth completely touching the adjacent one can make a person look like they have worn their teeth.

Golden Proportions

The golden proportion is a mathematic relationship found throughout nature. It is used as a starting point when designing your smile. The golden proportion dictates the amount of tooth surface that should be visible when viewed from the front, and will make your smile appear balanced.

Tooth Proportion

When creating the ideal smile, the size of each tooth is governed by an ideal proportion. Usually, for example, the ideal width to height ratio of the two front teeth is 0.7:1.

Tooth Shade

It is possible to change the shade of your teeth while designing your new smile. We have a variety of colour and translucency options to choose from in order to give you a smile so natural it looks like one you were born with.

4 Steps to Your New Smile

Step 1 – Consultation

During your initial consultation we take the time to listen to your desires and expectations for your ideal smile. We often ask the question, If you could wave a magic wand and create your perfect smile, what would you like to see? With a clear understanding of your desired outcome, we use digital photography, digital x-rays, and intra-oral cameras to conduct an expert evaluation and plan your new smile.

Step 2 – Your diagnostic wax-up

The diagnostic wax-up is the next step towards your new smile. The diagnostic wax-up brings your Smile Design into reality with a 3-D model of what your desired new smile will look like courtesy of our master ceramists. It allows you to see how your existing smile will be transformed into the smile you envision for yourself.

Step 3 – The Trial Smile

After preparing your teeth for your new smile, you are outfitted with temporary versions of the final dental work. This allows you to try out your new smile and make sure the appearance is to your liking and feels comfortable.

Step 4 – The Final Fit

After test-driving your Trial Smile the master ceramists are ready to create the final work. The result is a beautiful smile that looks and feels natural. You will be impressed with the impeccable craftsmanship and quality of your new smile; it is a combination of science and artistry that will change your life.