Most of the patients seek orthodontic treatment because of aesthetic reasons, that is, the desire to look more attractive by improving their smile. That is the reason why the subject of the smile is of great interest to orthodontists. However, a nice smile is very subjective and is relative from one person to another. The orthodontist can treat the patient in a way in which the plaster cast follows all the standards of the American Board of Orthodontists for a successful smile, but still, it may not produce an aesthetic smile.
In orthodontics, there are a few objective criteria that can be used for evaluating the characteristics of the smile, determining the lip-teeth relationship objectives of treatment and assessing the end result of treatment. If not for these quantitative data for smile analysis, the orthodontist will just rely on subjective assessment in treating the patient. Smile analysis and smile design have become key elements of orthodontic diagnosis and treatment.
