Orthognathic Surgery to Enhance the Smile

The design of an esthetic smile consists of a detailed analysis of the facial skeleton as well as the tooth, lips, gingival tissues, and their collective appearance. Symmetry and balance of the dento-facial features are paramount, with the maxillary incisors and canines serving a vital role in smile analysis. Orthognathic surgery serves as a power-ful tool in improving the smile. It is important to keep in mind that the concept of a beautiful smile is often influenced by a person's cultural, ethnic, and racial backgrounds. Moreover, the most natu-ral and beautiful smiles are often not perfect by any scientific standard; an esthetic smile is often achieved not by perfection but rather through the subtlety of imperfection.