Incisor proclination as determined by light reflection phenomenon

Introduction: The “art of the smile” is a relatively new term. Slowly it has penetrated the awareness of orthodontists and many other professionals in dentistry and has become one of the main goals of treatment. Furthermore, over the past 20 years, dental esthetics has drawn more attention from the population in modern societies as a parameter of the total esthetic concept. Central incisors are the most prominent teeth on the face and their inclination is an important parameter in esthetics, consciously and subconsciously. Central incisor proclination is usually determined by cephalometric radiographic analysis. Objective: to examine the correlation between the amount of incisor proclination as observed from an anterior intraoral photograph of the teeth to the reflection area as appearing on the buccal surface of the teeth. Methods: An extracted central incisor was ‘implanted' using dental wax in a skull imitating several positions of the teeth. Frontal photographs simulating anterior intraoral photographs were taken at different angles. Results: Using this model we found that the light reflection area from the tooth surface moves according to the proclination of the teeth, from the incisal tooth edge to the gingival area in severe proclination and severe retroclination, respectively. Conclusion: Incisor proclination can be determined by the light reflection area from its buccal surface. This method can serve as a clinical tool for assessing treatment plans in orthodontics and other fields of dentistry.