how many teeth show when you smile?

[30yearoldbraceface]

On closely examining my smile, I have noticed that only 6 teeth show when I smile and a highly doubt that more will show by the end of treatment as my teeth seem too big or my mouth too small, who knows lol.... But I was just curious how many teeth show in most other people's smiles??

I read somewhere that the more teeth that show, the more beautiful the smile - I wonder if this is true... What do you think?

Also, how many people started out with 6 teeth showing and are nearing the end of their treatment with more teeth showing? Did you expect that to happen or like me did you doubt the possibility?

[jfriend33]

I dont think there is a set number for teeth that show, but rather the amount of exposed gum tissue when smiling.

Due to my open bite I had none showing, and the more it closes, the more that is exposed.

http://www.toothpower.com/smiledesign.htm

[ItsFreyja]

I show 8 teeth and 4-5 mm of gum, and I'm expecting improvements both in smile widening (mainly by derotating and aligning my premolars) and gumminess reduction. My canines were somewhat prominent before braces and I think that bringing the upper teeth into a more harmonious arch shape will improve the overall look of my smile a lot.

Honestly, since your crowding is so severe, it's difficult for me to imagine what your end result might look like. Your ortho probably has an excellent idea of what you can expect, though, so ask him!

[30yearoldbraceface]

Yes I most definitely will be asking him just thought I'd ask as I am impatient and being Saturday night, the ortho wasn't open

Personally I think 8 teeth or more that show looks more beautiful, so I hope that happens in my case, but that being said - I am happy with just having straight teeth after living with messed up teeth for so long! So won't feel too hard done by hehe

[NapalmKitty]

I had a crossbite so only 6 teeth showed when I smiled. My braces come off next March/April and I currently have 10 showing when I smile (not forcefully). It depends on the person ... Some people have a lot of gums, I don't. My orthodontist told me not to worry about a celebrity's smile or standards because most of the time what you see isn't even real. You'll show more teeth as they straighten out.

[BeautifulDisaster]

I started off with a very crowded smile. It was so crowded, that it looked like I was missing teeth. Now that my teeth have straightened out, the same amount of teeth show, but my smile now fills out and balances my mouth a lot better.

Pre-Braces.jpg

091115Month12-Smile.jpg

The have noticed that the more teeth a person shows, the more obvious and beautiful their smile seems. But I'm fairly happy with the way my smile has formed because I no longer have the black gaps on the corners of my mouth.

[metalliKa]

Prebraces...none. Now I show 8 teeth while smiling.

[30yearoldbraceface]

Wow!! BeautifulDisaster, your smile and teeth look amazing!!

metalliKa, I also showed none before braces! So much so that even though my teeth were REALLY messed up, people didn't even realize as I NEVER showed them - people still asking why I got braces because I never had skew teeth?!? (In my mind I am like THANK GOD they never noticed!... But at the price of never laughing or smiling, or even talking with my mouth too wide open!)

Anyways, I have one last tooth to join the archwire, and then once that has happened I will be able to see how many teeth show, It looks so far as if 8 will be showing! (But even with 6 I will be elated!)

[uncleezno]

I've been thinking about this question myself lately! I'm three months out from my upper jaw surgery, swelling is mostly gone, and I was told I'll be done with the braces in another two or three months. Cosmetically I was fine before braces/surgery as I'd had braces as a child. Widening my upper jaw to make my teeth fit better hasn't really made my smile appear any wider, though. Still 6 teeth with a tiny, tiny sliver of the two beyond those. I guess if I wanted a really wide smile they would have had to widen my lower jaw as well, otherwise they wouldn't have fit together again! Better to have a healthy, aligned 6 teeth smile than nothing, but it's a bummer that all of my siblings have mouth-spanning smiles and never needed surgery

[newbite]

I only showed a few teeth before braces (probably 6?) and now I just got my braces off and definitely show 8 on top, almost 10 (so my new gold crown on my second molar on bottom is a bit visible!!...). That makes it sound like I have a gigantic smile but I don't. I still have "gaps" at the edges of my smile! And it still feels a bit awkward to smile (physically) but way better than before braces. I would have needed to have my upper jaw surgically moved forward to really change the corner gap thing. Not worth it!

It doesn't matter how many teeth you show, just that you have a healthy bite

[musicbrace]

Hello!

Pre-Braces, only 4 showed

and now 6 do. My jaw is still being widened but I hope I get to 8.

[Briannaramma]

I've got a bit of a weird lopsidedness so I show an odd number - 9! But because I have crowding, as my teeth move, mine will start to show less!

[Mufti]

I currently only show 5 1/2, hoping for at least 8 after treatment is finished

[Voxpotens]

Mine used to show 12-14 across the top on an easily achieved big smile. Post Damon braces, it shows 10 and I really have to strain my muscles to barely show 12. The archform widened to a horseshoe shape which now postures the front teeth towards the front of the mouth, obscuring the back ones a bit

[FlowerPower]

Not very many now as I rarely smile and have an open bite. My mouth is also small so I doubt more than 6 or so would show at a time.