The biologic significance of the divine proportion and Fibonacci series

This article shows the application of basic mathematical and geometric principles to the normal morphology of structures regularly involved in orthodontics and dentistry. For appreciation of beauty, it has been suggested that the human mind functions at the limbic level in attraction to proportions...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published inAmerican journal of orthodontics Vol. 81; no. 5; pp. 351 - 370
Main Author Ricketts, Robert M.
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published United States Elsevier Science (USA) 01.05.1982
Subjects
Beauty
Cephalometry
Dental Occlusion
Dentition
Esthetics
Esthetics, Dental
Face - anatomy & histology
golden rectangle
Golden section (1.618-0.618)
Humans
logarithmic spiral
Mathematics
phi
Thompson's law of growth
Tooth - anatomy & histology
phi
logarithmic spiral
golden rectangle
Thompson's law of growth
Golden section (1.618-0.618)
Online AccessGet full text
ISSN0002-9416
DOI10.1016/0002-9416(82)90073-2

Cover

More Information
Summary:This article shows the application of basic mathematical and geometric principles to the normal morphology of structures regularly involved in orthodontics and dentistry. For appreciation of beauty, it has been suggested that the human mind functions at the limbic level 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. Questions arose regarding these geometric and mathematical relationships in our living patients. Studies were conducted from measurements of models of the teeth of normal-occlusion subjects, the photographs of the faces of commercial models, and conditions found in lateral and frontal cephalometric head films. Variations of the beautiful photographic models were analyzed together with computerized composites of patients with ideal occlusions. Several key relationships were found. The investigation yielded useful relationships for all aspects of dentistry and particularly for orthodontics and orthognathic surgery. The normal face and the occlusion of the teeth have a majestic beauty. The study strongly suggests that esthetics can indeed be made scientific rather than the need to resort to subjective perceptions as in the past.
Bibliography:ObjectType-Article-1
SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1
ObjectType-Feature-2
content type line 23
ISSN:0002-9416
DOI:10.1016/0002-9416(82)90073-2