This document discusses elements of dental esthetics. It defines esthetic dentistry as enhancing an individual's beauty within functional limits. Cosmetic dentistry aims to improve tooth, gum, and bite appearance. Key elements of dental esthetics discussed include tooth size, shape, width, symmetry, alignment, contacts, color, translucency, surface texture, and gingival aesthetics. Treatment options to achieve esthetics include ameloplasty, bleaching, composite resins, porcelain veneers, and full crowns. Veneers are thin layers applied to teeth that can be made of composite resin or porcelain.

1. University of Aden
Faculty of Dentistry
Conservative Dentistry Department
Prepared by :
Supervised by : Ass. prof. Dr. Mohammed Alsakkaf

2. Introduction:
Goal of operative care is achieved by attaining
health, function and esthetics.
It is also known as health, function and
esthetic triad (HFA).
)

3. Definition :
Esthetic Dentistry can be defined as the
art and science of dentistry applied to
create or enhance beauty of an individual
within functional and physiological limits.

4. What is cosmetic dentistry?
Cosmetic dentistry is generally used to
refer to any dental work that improves the
appearance (though not necessarily the
function) of a person's teeth, gums and/or
bite.

5. The Smile :
The restoration of a smile is one of the most
appreciated and gratifying services a dentist
can render.
The positive psychological effects of
improving a patient’s smile often contribute
to an improved self-image and enhanced
self-esteem

7. Smile design :
Smile designing is a process whereby the
complete oral hard and soft tissues are
studied and evaluated and certain
changes are brought about which will
have a positive influence on the overall
esthetics of the face.

9. ELEMENTS OF DENTAL ESTHETICS
• Size, shape and width of teeth
• Symmetry and proportionality of teeth
• Alignment of teeth
• Contacts and embrasure form
• Color and translucency.
• Surface texture
• Gingival aesthetic

10. Size, Shape and Width of
Teeth
Size of Tooth :
It is determined by dividing cervicoincisal
length of tooth to mesiodistal width.
Size of tooth = Width/length ratio
To have optimal dimension, width/length
ratio of central incisor should range from
0.75 to 0.8
• Ideal ratio 0.75 to 0.8
• <0.75 – Narrower tooth
• >0.8 – Wider tooth

12. Shape of Teeth :
It is determined by age, sex and personality of the
individual.
Rounded incisal angles, open incisal and facial embrasures
of feminine smile
Masculine smile shows close incisal embrasures with
prominent incisal angles

13. Width of Teeth :
Labiolingual thickness of anterior teeth is
measured at the junction of middle and incisor
third of tooth.
• Ideally it should be between 2.5 and 3.5 mm
• If >3.5 mm, it is over contouring
• If <2.5 mm, it necessitates esthetic
procedures

14. Symmetry and Proportionality of Teeth
Symmetry :
Dental symmetry is achieved if
contralateral teeth are placed equivalent.
Restoration of teeth should be done
carefully for symmetrical incisal and
gingival embrasure.

15. Proportion :
It is given by rule of golden proportion.
This concept was given by Lombardi and
Levin. According to it, for an object to be
proportional to one another the ratio of
1:1.618 is esthetically pleasing. As a normal
rule, if apparent size of each tooth is seen
from frontal view, 62% tooth size anterior to it
relationship is considered esthetically
pleasing.
But many studies have shown that golden
proportion is not always present in natural
dentition, yet an esthetically pleasing smile

16. Golden proportion :

18. Recurring Esthetic Dental Proportion
(RED Proportion):
RED proportion states that the width of the
teeth as viewed from frontal should remain
constant as one moves distally instead of
using 62% proportion

19. Tooth proportion :
 The width of the maxillary central
incisor should be 75–85% of its height.

20. Tooth-to-tooth proportion:
The latest biometric study from Dr Stephen
Chu shows that if the central incisor’s
mesiodistal width is X mm, then the lateral
should measure X−2 mm and the canine
should be X−1 mm.

21. Tooth Alignment
Axial Inclination of the Tooth :
A line extending from height of the tooth
from free gingival margin to center of
the incisal edge implies axis inclination
of each tooth.

22. Maxillary anterior teeth display mesio-
axial inclination, with the central incisors
appearing to be almost vertical, lateral
incisors and canines tipping more
towards midline. After canines, the
posterior teeth display an inclination
that is parallel to canines.

24. Contacts and Embrasure Form
Exact place where a tooth touches other
tooth is called a contact.
Place where incisors and canines “appear”
to touch is defined as connector (also
referred as interdental contact area).
The triangular space incisal to the contact
defined as embrasures.

26. Color and Translucency
Color :
Color is defined as property of surface or
object as a result of absorption of certain
light rays and reflection of others, which
excite the photosensitive receptors of an eye.
Color is the most complex and least
understood artistic element.
Three fundamental elements of color are
hue, value, and chroma.

27. Hue is the intrinsic quality or shade of the color.
Value refers to the relative lightness or darkness
of a hue.
It is determined by the amount of white or black
in a hue.
chroma is the intensity of any particular hue.
some current shade guides are based first on
value because of the importance of this element
of color

28. General Considerations :
• Different hues of colors are seen in cervical
and incisal areas , Cervical areas are slightly
darker than incisal areas.
• Young individuals have lighter appearance
(due to thick enamel) than older individuals.
• Canines have darker shade than incisors.
• Teeth become darker due to aging and
irritants like attrition. In these, due to wearing
off the enamel, the underlying dentin
becomes more apparent.
• Teeth appear lighter in individuals with dark
complexion and females with dark shade of

29. Translucency :
Degree of translucency means how
deeply light penetrates into the tooth or
restoration before it is reflected outwards.
Translucency indicates lifelike esthetic
vitality of natural teeth.

30. Surface texture
• The character and individuality of teeth are
determined largely by their surface texture and
existing characteristics.
• Realistic restorations closely mimic the subtle
areas of stippling, concavity, and convexity that
are typically present on natural teeth.
• Teeth in young individuals characteristically
exhibit significant surface characterization,
whereas teeth in older individuals tend to
possess a smoother surface texture caused by
abrasional wear.
• Even in older patients, however, restorations
that are devoid of surface characterizations are
rarely indicated.

33. Gingival aesthetic
The gingival zenith represents the most apical
point at which each tooth emerges from the
free gingival margin. For an esthetically
pleasing smile, it should be positioned distally
to the center of each tooth within the maxillary
anterior segment. The distal position gradually
increases from the central incisor to the
canine.

35. Esthetic and Operative Dentistry
There are a number of problems which can
alter the esthetics of anterior teeth like:
• Caries
• Tooth discoloration because of trauma,
hypoplasia and other factors
• Tooth malformations
• Diastema between teeth
• Malalignment of teeth
• Fracture of tooth
• Cervical lesions like erosion, abrasion and
abfraction
• Attrition of teeth

36. Treatment options for achieving esthetics:
• Ameloplasty / enameloplasty
• Bleaching of teeth
• Restorations with composite resins
• Veneering
– Composite
– Porcelain
• Full coverage crown.

37. Ameloplasty / Enameloplasty
• It helps in improving minor changes in
contour of tooth by removal of enamel.
• It is done to smoothen the roughened
enamel margins, fractured tooth surfaces
and to soften interproximal angles.
• Tooth is polished after ameloplasty.

38. Bleaching
Teeth with mild to moderate
discolorations can be treated by
bleaching

39. Restorations with Composite Resins
Composite resins are indicated for
treatment of minor defects present on
incisal edges or labial surfaces of teeth
like caries, fracture, correction of
diastema, peg-shaped laterals.

40. Veneers
Veneer can be described as a layer of tooth
colored material which is applied on the tooth
surface for esthetic purpose.
Veneers are used to mask the intrinsic
discolorations, localized and generalized
defects.

41. There are three types of veneers :
(1) Conventional Porcelain Veneers.
(2) Lumineers.
(3) Composite Resin Veneers

42. (1)Conventional Porcelain Veneers
 A conventional porcelain veneer is a thin
piece of porcelain that is bonded to the
front of a tooth. Porcelain is a durable,
translucent, strong, natural-looking, and
beautiful material.
 In most cases, Conventional Porcelain Veneers will
create the most beautiful results, and are thus the most
common type of veneer used

43. (2) Lumineer
Lumineers are made from a special patented
cerinate porcelain that is very strong but much
thinner than traditional laboratory-fabricated
veneers.
their thickness is comparable to contact lenses

44. (3) Composite Resin Veneers

45. Refrences :
 Sturtevant art and science of operative
dentistry sixth edition
 Contemporary Esthetic Dentistry, 1st
Edition, By George A. Freedman
 Textbook of operative dentistry 3ed
edition

46. Thank you for your attention