Why templates fail
A set of identical, uniformly white teeth reads as “done” because it ignores the face around it. Faces are asymmetrical, lips move differently, and personalities show in how people smile. A design that ignores that looks borrowed.
What is actually designed
Tooth width and length in proportion to the face, the curve of the smile line against the lower lip, slight variation between teeth, the amount of translucency at the edges, and a shade chosen in daylight. Softer shapes for softer features; stronger shapes for stronger ones.
The test
Not whether it looks perfect in a photograph, but whether it disappears into the person. When friends say “you look great” and cannot say why, the design worked.
