Evaluation of dentolabial parameters as part of a comprehensive esthetic analysis

Analysis of the facial features and lip movements in relation to teeth, achieved by evaluating the facial, dentolabial, and phonetic parameters, should be the first step in prosthetic rehabilitation. This article focuses on dentolabial analysis, presenting a systematic approach to evaluating the relationship between the teeth and the lips and lower third of the face. The parameters evaluated include tooth exposure, incisal edge position, smile width, labial corridor, interincisal line vs. midline, and occlusal plane vs commissural line. Here two parameters of dentolabial analysis are explored in depth: incisal edge position (with regard to both incisal curve and incisal profile) and orientation of the incisal plane, which is a portion of the occlusal plane. Methods for identifying both parameters are outlined, and their role in the achieving successful esthetic results in prosthetic treatment is discussed.