A new patient was seen in the office today to discuss how many teeth would need to be treated to improve her smile. How many teeth does it take to improve a smile? This is a good question. The answer depends on your goals for improvement and how many teeth show in your smile. Often, we see patients who think all they need to treat is the 4 or maybe 6 front teeth to improve their smile. In some cases this is true but the majority of the time it is 10 to 12 teeth that need treatment. The best way to judge this is with a photograph taken with a big smile. When you look at the photograph take a close look. Usually up to 10 teeth show in a smile not just 4 or 6. If your goal is to improve the color of your teeth than all the teeth visible must be treated or the difference in color will be obvious and look artificial. Treating 4 or 6 teeth will actually make it look worse because now the front and side teeth will not match at all. There are some exceptions especially if you are happy with the overall color of your teeth. If just the front teeth are chipped or out of alignment than 4 teeth might be all that is needed to give you the beautiful smile you hoped for. Our office is ready to see you for a consultation and discuss your options whatever your treatment needs are.