Anterior Teeth Selection- Esthetics

Lecture given 9/17/2025

what are anterior teeth primarily selected to satisfy?

esthetic requirements

what are posterior teeth primarily selected to satisfy?

masticatory requirements/occlusion

what can guide anterior tooth selection?

pre-extraction records (photos, diagnostic casts), existing dentures, patient’s facial characteristics, patient’s sex/personality/age, arch size and shape, patient’s preference

square tooth moulds

with this angular shape, the central incisors are dominant and the gingivo-incisal curvature is moderate

the square facial shape offers maximum light deflection and creates a bold effect

tapering tooth moulds

characterized by rounded contours which taper towards the cervical ridge, moderate gingivo-incisal curvature

large triangular incisor slightly triangular in shape

ovoid tooth moulds

the teeth have a pronounced gingivo-incisal curvature, which tends to disperse the light reflection and create a softened apperance

are tooth mould shapes a good way to select teeth?

no, it is an antiquated technique

what is the more valid approach to tooth selection?

dentogenics (Frush and Fisher)

what does dentogenics take into account?

age, sex, and personality of patient

male teeth

rugged with square teeth and bold central incisors

female teeth

pronounced curvatures, rounded point angles

personality tooth

the maxillary lateral incisor

vary in size, form, and position more than any other tooth

young teeth

tapered, ovoid, rounded teeth

mid-age teeth

somewhere between young and old

old teeth

square, sharp corners

how far beyond the lip line should the wax rim extend if they are being used to determine desired position of teeth?

1-2 mm

what is a good marker to use to determine where the distal proximal surface of the canines should be?

commissure of the lips or the interalar (width of the nose)

what are soft characteristics that should be looked for in mould selection?

rounded arch form, rounded tooth corners, anteriors closely follow the lower lip, laterals overlap centrals, smaller laterals and cuspids, sharp canines

what are bold characteristics that should be looked for in mould selection?

angular outlines, large laterals or canines, square arch form, centrals overlap laterals, blunt canines

what are the most important things to evaluate when selecting tooth shapes and shades?

patient’s input and current dentures (if available)

why are artificial posterior teeth narrower than natural teeth?

to allow for a bolus of food to be chewed with less effort, diminish the displacement of the denture in the mucosa, allow the polished surface to be contoured in a way for the patient to learn to use lips, cheeks, and tongue to maintain the denture in place

what things should be considered when placing anterior teeth?

pattern of maxillary ridge resorption, phonetics, smile line, maxillary occlusion rim, incisal guidance, arch form

t/f anterior teeth should be placed directly over the ridge?

false- resorption is from the labial towards the lingual

what sounds may be defective if the lips are not supported properly by the teeth?

labial sounds- /p/, /b/

what sounds are produced by contact between the maxillary incisors and the posterior 1/3 of the lower lip?

labiodental sounds- /f/, /v/

what sounds are made by contact between the tip of the tongue and the palate at the rugae area, with a small space for air to escape?

linguopalatal sounds- /s/, /sh/

what is the usual vertical and horizontal overlap for anterior maxillary and mandibular incisors?

1 mm