The terms "big" and "small" are relative and are used as they relate to the sizes and dimensions of facial features. If the teeth and facial structures are evenly small, nothing will appear wrong with the smile. The facial appearance is proportionate and aesthetic. The same is true for big teeth that fit into a proportionally bigger face.
The entire dentition, including the temporomandibular joints and the masticatory muscle groups are part of an entire functional system. The survey of tooth sizes and position relative to their alveolar crests and faces is commonly the responsibility of orthodontists. However, orthodontic treatment does not address discrepancies between tooth size and jaw dimensions. If teeth are too small for a given jaw dimension, their repositioning with braces or Invisalign will not correct their "timid" appearance. Teeth can be positioned right next to each other. However, the extra space of the alveolar ridges will reveal itself at the end, if not all teeth, including molars are moved forward toward the lips. But even then, small teeth will still be small. This is why some dental treatment options include a cooperation of an orthodontist with a cosmetic dentist. In such cases, the orthodontist will distribute teeth evenly within the space that is available withi the dental arches to allow the cosmetic dentist to create natural proportions among the porcelain veneers
Teeth may have remarkable structural differences among each other or in relation to jaw size. Those discrepancies are often obvious and may be associated with diastemas, crowded teeth, apparently narrow lips, prominent upper and/or lower lips, mouth breathing, deep bites, and many other conditions that are described in the textbooks of orthodontists.
When the proportions of teeth and their surrounding facial structures are disturbed, the mouth becomes focus of attention in a negative sense. The goals of Cosmetic Dentistry include the creation of proper proportions among all the facial elements, which may resolve these problems by cosmetic dental procedures alone, or in combination with orthodontic alignment of the existing dentition.
This website discusses the various clinical signs and aesthetic shortcomings of teeth that are either too small or too large for their facial environment. While orthodontics corrects space-related issues by distributing and aligning teeth within the space available, porcelain veneers correct size-related issues. In some cases, both treatment modalities are necessary for an optimum result.
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