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Understanding the anatomy of anterior and posterior teeth is important as the main aims of restorative dentistry are to restore the form, function and often the aesthetics of damaged teeth. The appearance of individual anterior teeth is complex and variable. The three most important aesthetic determinants are widely considered to be tooth shape, surface texture and colour, which are further complicated by soft tissue and dento-facial factors. Learning how these interlinked anatomical features affect the aesthetic appearance of anterior teeth is difficult and presents challenges to teachers. Also, tooth anatomy teaching and clinical training in restorative dentistry may be separated by months or even years, making it difficult for students to apply previously learned anatomical principles to aesthetic restorative procedures. This is the second of two papers describing a series of step-by-step tooth drawing exercises which aim to simplify the teaching and learning of tooth anatomy.
CPD/Clinical Relevance: Detailed understanding of tooth anatomy will help clinicians accurately and predictably plan the restoration of anterior teeth.
Article
Restoration of form and function may be considered to be the main aims of restorative dentistry. When anterior teeth are involved there is an important aesthetic component and aesthetic dentistry is a rapidly growing subject area. In this regard, there is a wide range of peer and non-peer reviewed literature on dental aesthetics dating back to the late 1960s.1
During preclinical training, the amount of time and resources given to teaching the anatomical and aesthetic properties of anterior teeth (and the related subject of smile design) varies between dental schools and different countries.
If the well-established principles of occlusion and aesthetics are not mastered during undergraduate training there is a risk that students may graduate with limited skill in:
The self-directed anterior tooth drawing exercises are comparable to the posterior versions.2 While they are generally less time-consuming, they also include two freehand drawing exercises, enabling artistically talented students to demonstrate their skills.
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