Hollywood Smiles
Good news: Anyone can
achieve a great smile!
Australian DR BERNARD
SIEW focuses on complete
smile makeovers, oral
rehabilitation and implant
prosthodontics.
“It’s the patient who dictates the result,” says Dr
Siew. “I tell them we can do basically anything
with their teeth. They need to tell me what smile
they want, and I will find the best way to achieve
it.” To this end, he follows two rules: firstly, to
achieve the desired outcome while preserving as
much as possible of the existing tooth structure;
and secondly, to use the simplest method possible.
What is a Hollywood smile?
Apart from tooth colour, it’s also about the
“openness” of the smile, meaning how much tooth
we see. “Teeth that are not broadly displayed are
unable to reflect much light, so whiteness alone
may not do the trick,” he explains.
Also important is how the lips frame the smile.
“Lipline” refers to the amount of gum you show,
and he says a moderate lipline is best.
Symmetry is vital, too. “For crooked and
overcrowded bottom teeth, it may be simpler to
take out just one lower front tooth and correct the
alignment with braces; but it may be better for
tooth symmetry to take out two lower back teeth,
one from either side.”Culture, gender and age
Dr Siew sees many nationalities in his practice,
so he has a good idea of the different cultural
expectations. In the US, for example, smiles are
generally much whiter than in the UK or Europe.
When it comes to shape, men suit more
rectangular or squarer teeth with harder angles;
for women, softer shapes with rounder edges look
better. For older women, correcting long teeth has
a wonderfully rejuvenating effect, but Bernard says
he’d be less likely to suggest an unnaturally light
colour: “A beautiful smile should attract, but not
distract.”#08-02 Camden Medical Centre
1 Orchard Boulevard
6733 9882 | smilefocus.com.sgCITY GUIDE 2018 187HAPPY & HEALTHY