Most people judge a smile by how straight the teeth are. Orthodontists also look at something quieter: how much of your upper front teeth shows when your lips are relaxed and when you smile. That measurement is called vertical incisor display, and it is one of the 10 Features of an Excelsior Smile that Dr. Minh Nguyen and Dr. Tamana Spingher evaluate for every patient in Purcellville and western Loudoun County.
What Vertical Incisor Display Means
With the lips at rest, a youthful smile usually shows about 2 to 4 millimeters of the upper front teeth. In a full smile, the upper lip ideally rises to about the gumline, showing the whole tooth with little or no gum above it. Too little display can make a smile look tired or older than you are. Too much can read as a gummy smile.
Tooth display naturally decreases with age as the upper lip lengthens and relaxes. Planning the right amount of display during treatment helps a smile look youthful for decades, not just on the day braces come off.
Why It Matters in Your Treatment Plan
Straightening teeth without watching their vertical position can move front teeth up or down in ways no patient asked for. That is why Dr. Minh and Dr. Spingher measure display at rest, while you talk, and in a full smile, then plan tooth movement so the result fits your face, not just your bite.
Several common issues affect display:
- Deep bite: upper teeth that overlap the lower teeth too much
- Open bite: front teeth that do not meet, often showing too little tooth
- Gummy smile: front teeth that sit too low, showing excess gum
- Worn teeth: shorter edges in adults that hide the smile
Braces and Spark Clear Aligners can raise or lower front teeth in precise, measured amounts. In some cases, small temporary anchors help guide that movement.
Relax your lips and say "Emma." Notice how much of your top teeth shows. Then smile big. If you see mostly gums, or almost no teeth at all, bring it up at your consultation.
Smile Planning for Western Loudoun Families
Kids, teens, and adults visit our Purcellville office from Leesburg, Round Hill, Hamilton, Waterford, Lincoln, Brunswick MD, and Charles Town WV. Every new patient consultation includes a full smile evaluation, so you leave knowing exactly how your teeth and lips work together.
Call Excelsior Orthodontics at (540) 579-4055 or visit excelsiororthodontics.com to schedule a consultation with Dr. Minh or Dr. Spingher.
