Smile Arc Protection
Orthodontic Treatment has been great at aligning the teeth and achieving a stable and functional bite. The sad truth, however, is that this doesn’t necessarily always result in a great smile. Modern orthodontics and more progressive orthodontists such as Dr. Bedoya also evaluate how the teeth are framed by the lips and position the teeth such that they provide optimal lip support as well as maximizing tooth display when smiling.
While both these patients have straight teeth and a good bite, you can see how much more aesthetic the smile for the patient on the left looks because of the increased tooth display, wide smile, and curvature of the smile arc. This is generally more desirable than the flattened, narrow smile on the right.
While Dr. Bedoya‘s goal is to always align your teeth and give you a stable, functional bite, her primary goal is to give you a beautiful smile such as the one pictured above, utilizing a treatment philosophy called Smile Arc Protection (SAP). Smile arc protection aims to either preserve the natural curvature of a smile that is already present which tends to flatten during Orthodontic Treatment methods, or to create an aesthetic smile arc when one is not already present. The goal is for the bottom edges of the top teeth to curve in a line that parallels the curvature of the lower lip when smiling, with 100% vertical display of the upper incisors as well as 10-12 teeth visible. Each individual patient’s smile will be evaluated during the initial consultation with Dr. Marisela Bedoya, and a personalized treatment plan will be created utilizing the smile arc protection treatment philosophy.
Orthodontic Treatment has been great at aligning the teeth and achieving a stable and functional bite. The sad truth, however, is that this doesn’t necessarily always result in a great smile. Modern orthodontics and more progressive orthodontists such as Dr. Bedoya also evaluate how the teeth are framed by the lips and position the teeth such that they provide optimal lip support as well as maximizing tooth display when smiling.
While both these patients have straight teeth and a good bite, you can see how much more aesthetic the smile for the patient on the left looks because of the increased tooth display, wide smile, and curvature of the smile arc. This is generally more desirable than the flattened, narrow smile on the right.
How is the SAP treatment tailored for my specific smile?
While in most cases, the SAP technique involves placing the brackets slightly higher than normal, the overall bracket positioning may be altered depending on your desired results and current smile. Additionally, your bite may play a role in the positioning of the brackets. For example, if you have an overbite, the position of the lower anterior and posterior brackets can be adjusted to correct the bite.
Learn More
At The Doctor Smiles Orthodontics, we are proud to utilize the most progressive techniques in orthodontic treatment and embrace the treatment philosophy of Smile Arc Protection in order to create the most aesthetic smiles for our Tucson patients. During a consultation, Dr. Bedoya and her trained dental team will be able to evaluate your current smile and your goals to decide how to achieve your best smile. Contact us today to learn more and to get one step closer to a more confident and appealing smile.
