Your smile is evaluated by observing the movement of your upper lip as well as your lower lip. Your smile is composed of one of the upper lip line patterns along with one of the lower lip line patterns.

Upper Lip 1: This is the most common upper lip movement (65% of us have this). With this lip movement, the muscles at the corners of the mouth are dominant in comparison to the muscles raising the upper lip (levator labbi).

Upper Lip 2: This is the opposite of Pattern 1. Approximately 30% of us have this upper lip movement. The muscles responsible for raising the upper lip are dominant in comparison to the muscles at the corners of the mouth. This pattern emphasizes ones “eye teeth” (canines).

Upper Lip 3: This pattern is the least common (5% of us have this). The muscles responsible for raising the upper lip and the muscles at the corners of the mouth act equally. This pattern shows most of the upper teeth along with the gingiva (gums).

Lower lip movement can also be classified into three patterns
Lower Lip 1: This is the most common lower lip movement (65% of us have this). With this lip movement, the muscles at the corners of the mouth are more dominant than the muscles lowering the lower lip. This pattern usually does not show your lower teeth.

Lower Lip 2: This is the opposite of Pattern 1 (30% of us have this). The muscles responsible for lowering the lower lip are dominent in comparison to the muscles at the corners of the mouth. This pattern invariably will show your lower teeth.

Lower Lip 3: This is the least common pattern (5% of us have this). The muscles at the corners of the mouth act equally with the muscles of the lower lip. The pattern usually shows your lower teeth.