Abstract
Progress in any endeavor is not the result of some automatic or magic process. In prosthodontics, the dramatic revival of interest in appearance has been no exception. After satisfactory materials were developed to reproduce the natural hues and contours of the oral tissues and the teeth adequately, dentists were encouraged to apply certain flexible yet practical artistic principles to their complete dentures, based on the individual patient's needs and desires. This provides the basis for a clinical challenge to the lethargic attitude toward complete denture artificiality.
Although naturalness is the key objective for all phases of dentofacial appearance, compromises between the dentist and patient must be met and resolved before these objectives can be accomplished satisfactorily. This meeting of the minds, or mental harmony, is vital to the success of any artificial restoration.
Studies of aging continue to indicate that personal pride and self-respect are not mental phenomena of any specialized or select group. Therefore, the principles of appearance are applicable to the elderly man as well as to the middle-aged woman. But if appearance is to be incorporated into the treatment plan for the denture patient, it must be done intentionally.
Esthetics may continue to be ignored in favor of the mechanical principles of function, but not without sacrifice of a pleasing and harmonious facial expression