Fibonacci, Math, Golden Ratio, Teeth, and orthodontic treatment... Are they related?
The Fibonacci numbers are Nature's numbering system. They appear everywhere in Nature, from the leaf arrangement in plants, to the pattern of the florets of a flower, the bracts of a pine cone, or the scales of a pineapple. The Fibonacci numbers are therefore applicable to the growth of every living thing, including a single cell, a grain of wheat, a hive of bees, and even all of mankind.
Both the Fibonacci Sequence and the Golden Ratio appear in natural forms ranging from the geometry of the DNA molecule (and the human body) to the physiology of plants and animals.
For appreciation of beauty, it has been suggested that the human mind functions in attraction to proportions in harmony with the Golden Section. This is a proportion of 1.618 and its reciprocal 0.618 in geometry. Fibonacci numbers express precisely the same ratio and are mathematically unique and mysterious.
The normal face and the occlusion of the teeth have a majestic beauty. The golden rule of proportion exists from tooth to tooth. Your most visible teeth (front teeth through to the premolar) should be in divine proportion to one another. This means that the width of each tooth about 62% less than the tooth that precedes it.
With its clear link to beauty and balance in nature, applying the golden ratio to orthodontics makes perfect sense. Smiles that are naturally pleasing to the eye already follow this sequence. Therefore, making the orthodontic corrections needed to bring out of proportion smiles into line is simply following a natural beauty sequence.
As each patient is unique in their face size, shape and structure, cosmetic dentistry professionals must apply the golden ratio in relation to these personal characteristics. Every individual smile differs from the next, and so should the way that cosmetic dentists apply the golden ratio. When correctly applied, the golden ratio can guide orthodontic procedures to ensure patients achieve their desired results. A smile built using golden proportions turns out naturally aesthetically-pleasing, and perfectly suited to the patient’s individuality.
