What Is Beauty? The Golden Ratio and Your Smile
Sheila Samton is the author-illustrator of many award-winning books for children, as well as a designer and muralist. Her first children’s book, “The World from My Window” (Crown, 1985), also dealt with the subject of beauty. Ms. Samton has two sons and lives in New York City.
The golden ratio is a useful idea in smile design, but it doesn't define a beautiful smile. When researchers measured the front teeth of people with attractive natural smiles, the golden proportion was uncommon. I use proportion as a starting point and then design around the person's face, lips, gums and preferences.
What is the golden ratio?
The golden ratio is a number, about 1.618, that appears when a line is divided into two parts so that the whole line relates to the longer part the same way the longer part relates to the shorter one. It has been called the golden mean, the golden section and the divine proportion.
A rectangle with sides in this ratio has a neat property. Cut a square off one end, and the piece that's left is a smaller rectangle with the same proportions. Mathematicians find the number interesting for many reasons like this.
Why is it linked with beauty?
For centuries, people have connected the golden ratio with harmony and perfection. It is often said to appear in the Egyptian pyramids, the Parthenon and the Mona Lisa. Those claims are popular but debated, and in many cases there is no evidence the builders or artists intended it. Some designers did use it on purpose. The architect Le Corbusier built a whole system of proportions around it.
How did the golden ratio come into dentistry?
In the 1970s, dentists proposed using the golden proportion to plan the upper front teeth. Seen from the front, each tooth would appear about 62 percent as wide as the tooth in front of it, moving from the central incisors back toward the canines. The idea gave dentists and laboratories a simple grid to work from, and it still appears in smile design discussions.
Does the golden ratio show up in attractive smiles?
Not consistently. In a 2004 study, researchers photographed 157 dental students whose smiles were judged attractive and measured the apparent widths of their six upper front teeth. They did not find the golden proportion between those teeth, and concluded that it is not a common feature of attractive smiles. Other researchers had already re-examined the idea and questioned whether it fits natural teeth.
That matches what I see. Smiles that look natural vary a lot. A rigid formula can produce teeth that look too narrow on the sides or too uniform across the front.
What do I look at instead when planning a smile?
Your face. The center of the smile should line up with the center of the face, and the edges of the upper teeth should follow the curve of the lower lip when you smile.
Tooth shape. Natural central incisors are usually somewhat longer than they are wide. In one study of extracted teeth, unworn upper central incisors were about 78 percent as wide as they were long.
The gum line. Even, healthy gums frame the teeth. Uneven gums can make well-shaped teeth look wrong.
Color and texture. Brightness, translucency at the edges and surface texture often matter more than exact widths.
Your preferences. Some people want a noticeable change. Many want to look like themselves on a good day.
Photographs, models and trial versions of the new shape let you see and react to the design before anything is final. You can see examples on our before and after page and in our e.max front teeth case.
Thinking about changing your smile?
If you're considering veneers or other cosmetic dentistry, bring photos of smiles you like and tell us what bothers you about your own. Contact our office at 3675 Hendricks Avenue in Jacksonville or call 904-398-1549.
Sources
Levin EI. Dental esthetics and the golden proportion. J Prosthet Dent. 1978;40(3):244-252. doi:10.1016/0022-3913(78)90028-8 (retrieved via PubMed)
Preston JD. The golden proportion revisited. J Esthet Dent. 1993;5(6):247-251. doi:10.1111/j.1708-8240.1993.tb00788.x (retrieved via PubMed)
Mahshid M, Khoshvaghti A, Varshosaz M, Vallaei N. Evaluation of "golden proportion" in individuals with an esthetic smile. J Esthet Restor Dent. 2004;16(3):185-192. doi:10.1111/j.1708-8240.2004.tb00032.x (retrieved via PubMed)
Magne P, Gallucci GO, Belser UC. Anatomic crown width/length ratios of unworn and worn maxillary teeth in white subjects. J Prosthet Dent. 2003;89(5):453-461. doi:10.1016/S0022-3913(03)00125-2 (retrieved via PubMed)
About the author. CJ Henley, DMD, is a general dentist in Jacksonville whose practice focuses on cosmetic and restorative dentistry, dental implants and dental care around head and neck cancer. Meet Dr. Henley.
CJ Henley, DMD, PA · 3675 Hendricks Avenue, Jacksonville, FL 32207 · 904-398-1549
Updated October 2026.
What Is a Diastema, and Should the Gap Be Closed?
A diastema is a gap between the teeth. It is not harmful, and it appears in children and adults. In children, the gap typically closes when their permanent teeth come through. A diastema is a gap between teeth that is wider than 0.5 millimeters. It can develop between any teeth. Treatment is not usually necessary for medical reasons. But if a person dislikes the appearance of their diastema, it is possible to close or narrow the gap.
A diastema is a space between teeth, most often between the two upper front teeth. A long-standing gap may simply be part of your smile and doesn't need treatment if your teeth and gums are healthy. A new or widening gap in adult teeth is different. It should be evaluated before any cosmetic treatment, because it can be a sign of gum disease or a change in the bite.
Why can a gap develop?
Several things can contribute to spacing:
Teeth that are small relative to the size of the jaw
A missing or undersized tooth, often an upper lateral incisor
A large band of tissue (the frenum) that attaches between the upper front teeth
Habits that push the front teeth forward, such as tongue pressure when swallowing
Gum disease, which can loosen teeth and let them drift apart
The location and cause matter more than the size of the gap. New spacing, loose teeth or bleeding gums make a gum-health evaluation important.
Does every gap need to be closed?
No. If your teeth and gums are healthy and you like your smile, closing a stable gap isn't necessary. Some people keep theirs as part of their look. If you want a change, I look at the bite, the proportions of the teeth and how much healthy tooth structure is involved before recommending anything.
Can bonding close a gap between front teeth?
Composite bonding can be a good option for selected small spaces. Our bonding article shows actual cases and explains how we shape the contours. Making teeth wider isn't the right answer for every gap, though. If closing the space would make the front teeth look too wide, another approach may look better.
When might aligners or veneers make sense?
Clear aligners move teeth, while veneers change the visible surface. They solve different problems. Ask whether the goal is to change tooth position, tooth shape or both, and compare the maintenance and tooth preparation each involves. Sometimes the most natural-looking result combines them. A gap that is partly closed with aligners can then be finished with small amounts of bonding.
Talk about a tooth gap in Jacksonville
Contact CJ Henley, DMD at 3675 Hendricks Avenue near San Marco, or call 904-398-1549. If the gap has changed, bring photographs that show when it appeared. A dental examination comes first to confirm tooth and gum health before choosing among cosmetic treatment options.
Sources
American Dental Association, MouthHealthy. Gum disease.
About the author. CJ Henley, DMD, is a general dentist in Jacksonville whose practice focuses on cosmetic and restorative dentistry, dental implants and dental care around head and neck cancer. Meet Dr. Henley.
CJ Henley, DMD, PA · 3675 Hendricks Avenue, Jacksonville, FL 32207 · 904-398-1549
Updated October 2026.