Designing A New Smile. What’s involved?

Quiz: What Is Smile Design?

All cultures worldwide recognize a smile as positive nonverbal communication. Yet many people are insecure about the way their smile looks. Modern cosmetic dentistry can completely change your smile through a comprehensive technique called Smile Design.

Take the following quiz to find out how much you know about your smile and smile design.

1. What is the basic reason we consider straight, healthy teeth to be attractive?
   1. An article in a beauty magazine.
   2. An instinctive understanding of health and survival.
   3. Our first grade teacher said so.
   4. A talk show on television.
2. What must we take into account in designing an attractive, balanced smile?
   1. The shape of your face.
   2. Your skin color and complexion.
   3. The form of your lips.
   4. All of the above.
3. As your dentist, we consider each of the following in evaluating your current smile except:
   1. Your marital status.
   2. The health of your bone and gum tissues.
   3. How your jaw joints function.
   4. The stability of your bite.
4. What do we use to evaluate your smile?
   1. X-rays and photographs.
   2. Models of your teeth and gums.
   3. Photographs and computer graphics.
   4. All of the above.
5. Bonding is one method that may be used to test or enhance your smile. It is used as:
   1. A way of making friends with your dentist.
   2. A way of training secret agents.
   3. A method of repairing chipped, broken or decayed teeth and testing changes before they are made permanent.
   4. None of the above.

Answers

1. b. What we consider an attractive smile is rooted in instinctive understanding of health and survival. We value straight, white, healthy teeth — only a few centuries ago, a person with few or no teeth was likely to starve.
2. d. All of these factors must be taken into consideration in order to design a smile that is in balance with your face.
3. a. While satisfaction with your life partner may make you smile, our priority in smile design is to make sure that the basic structures of your teeth are healthy and function properly.
4. d. All of the above are used in evaluating your current condition to design a new smile.
5. c. In bonding, a composite resin tooth colored material is shaped and physically bonded to a tooth or teeth that are chipped, broken, or decayed to restore both aesthetics and function.

After careful analysis and planning, a variety of techniques can be used to redesign an attractive and healthy new smile, so you can feel confident about smiling and sharing it with the world. To learn more about Smile Design, read “Beautiful Smiles by Design.” Or contact us to discuss your questions or to schedule an appointment.