What is Ricketts E-Line? A Key to Smile Enhancement in Aesthetic Dentistry

Cosmetic dentistry goes beyond just restoring strong, healthy teeth—it also focuses on crafting soft, balanced smiles that harmonize with your overall facial structure. One popular technique used by cosmetic dentists worldwide is the analysis of the Ricketts E-Line—an imaginary line that evaluates the relationship between the nose, lips, and chin from a side profile. This helps design a naturally balanced smile without the need for major surgery.

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What is the Ricketts E-Line?

The Ricketts E-Line (Esthetic Line) is an imaginary line drawn from the tip of the nose to the tip of the chin. It is commonly used in aesthetic dentistry to assess facial balance from the side view, especially the position of the lips.

The upper lip should ideally be about 4 mm behind the E-Line.
The lower lip should be about 2 mm behind the line.

This guideline has become a key standard in aesthetic dentistry, orthodontic facial profiling, and pre-surgical evaluation for procedures such as chin augmentation or correcting lip protrusion.

How to Check Your E-Line at Home

How to Check Your E-Line on iPhone (iOS)

Tap the “Edit” icon at the top right of your side-profile photo
Tap the “Markup” (pen tip) icon to enter drawing mode
Tap the “Ruler” icon and rotate the ruler until it’s straight
Align the ruler from the tip of the nose to the tip of the chin to create the E-Line
Tap the “Pen” icon and choose your desired line thickness
Draw along the ruler from nose to chin
Tap the ruler icon again to hide the tool
Tap “Done” and “Save” if you’d like to keep the image for reference

Note:

This method is for basic self-check only.
For precise measurements (e.g. 4 mm or 2 mm) or facial planning, it’s recommended to consult a dentist or use a Digital Smile Design system.

How to Check Your E-Line on Android

To get a more accurate E-Line drawing, try using these apps:

[Picsart] – A popular photo editing app with easy-to-use “Draw” and “Ruler” tools
[Snapseed] – Google’s powerful photo editor with basic markup capabilities
[Infinite Design] / [Sketchbook] – Professional-grade drawing apps perfect for precise straight lines and E-Line planning

How to Check Your E-Line Using Sketchbook App (Free)

Download the Sketchbook app from the Google Play Store
Import a side-profile photo of your face
Select the “Straight Line” or “Ruler Tool”
Draw a line from the tip of your nose to the tip of your chin to form the E-Line
Observe if your lips sit slightly behind the line
- Ideally, the upper lip should be 4 mm behind,
- and the lower lip about 2 mm behind the E-Line
Adjust the line thickness or color for better visibility
Save the image to consult with a dentist if needed

Note:

This is just a basic self-assessment method.
For accurate millimeter-level measurements or smile planning, consult with a professional or use a Digital Smile Design system.

Benefits of Ricketts E-Line in Cosmetic Dentistry

Ricketts E-Line is not just an imaginary line on the face, but a vital tool that cosmetic dentists use to analyze the overall facial balance, especially when patients have issues such as protruding lips, flared teeth, or a recessed chin, which may cause the face to appear unbalanced from a side view.

By evaluating the positions of the upper and lower lips relative to the E-Line, dentists can design a treatment plan to make the overall face appear softer, more dimensional, and more harmonious — whether through non-surgical methods or in combination with minor surgical procedures.

Examples of how the E-Line is applied in treatment:

Facial Recontouring with Braces: E-Line is used to guide the direction of tooth movement so the lips can gradually retract in a natural way. This helps reduce protrusion without the need for surgery.
Veneers: Used to assess how much enhancement is needed for the front teeth in order to support the lips for a softer look — avoiding a flat or overly protrusive appearance.
Subtle Chin Augmentation: Surgeons can incorporate the E-Line when designing the chin to align harmoniously with the lips, without making the chin appear too pointed or unbalanced.
Digital Smile Design (DSD): Combines facial analysis with 3D software to design a smile and tooth alignment that matches the individual’s E-Line and facial structure.

Ricketts E-Line transforms cosmetic dental treatments from merely “fixing teeth” into full facial planning — helping balance the face, enhance aesthetics from every angle, and achieve natural beauty that’s unique to each person.

How is the E-Line different from the S-Line?

Although both the E-Line and the S-Line are imaginary reference lines used to evaluate facial harmony from the side profile, they differ in their reference points and intended purposes. Each is commonly used in different fields — for example, dentistry vs. cosmetic surgery.

Ricketts E-Line (Esthetic Line)

An imaginary line drawn from the tip of the nose to the soft tissue pogonion (chin).
It is used to assess lip positioning: ideally, the upper lip should sit approximately 4 mm behind the E-Line, and the lower lip about 2 mm behind.
This line is widely used in cosmetic dentistry, orthodontics, smile design, and facial aesthetic planning through dental treatment.

S-Line (Soft Tissue Line)

An imaginary line drawn from the subnasale (the base of the nose) to the soft tissue pogonion.
It also assesses the position of the lips but uses a slightly lower nasal reference point.
The S-Line is more commonly used in plastic surgery, especially in chin augmentation and rhinoplasty, particularly in Korean-style facial design.

Why is the E-Line more popular in dentistry?

The E-Line provides a clearer overview of the smile structure and the lip-to-tooth-to-chin proportions, without being influenced by the nasal shape, which can vary greatly across ethnicities.

It is especially suitable for planning:

Orthodontic treatment for protruding lips or a convex profile
Veneer designs that support the lips without collapsing them inward
Digital planning using [Digital Smile Design]

For Asian patients, who often have a flatter nose bridge or a shorter chin, the E-Line offers more reliable facial harmony analysis — as it doesn’t rely heavily on the nasal base, which may lack strong projection.

Treatment Options to Enhance Facial Balance Based on the E-Line:

1.Orthodontics to correct protruding lips or teeth

Braces can gradually move the teeth inward, helping the upper and lower lips naturally retract. Ideal for patients with lip protrusion or flared teeth without requiring surgery.

2.Veneers to enhance or realign the front teeth

Veneers can adjust the length, shape, and alignment of the front teeth to better support the lips and create harmony with the E-Line.

3.Dental Crowns to restore tooth structure after braces

In some cases, crowns can help refine the alignment of teeth in relation to the lips and chin after orthodontic treatment.

4.Digital Smile Design (DSD

This 3D facial analysis technology helps plan dental aesthetics in precise harmony with the E-Line and facial proportions.

5.Invisalign Clear Aligners

For patients with slightly protruding lips beyond the Ricketts E-Line who prefer a discreet alternative to metal braces, Invisalign clear aligners can gradually guide the teeth and lips into a more natural, aesthetic position.

6.Collaboration with a surgeon if needed

In cases of a recessed chin or low nasal bridge that significantly affects E-Line analysis, a multi-disciplinary approach involving surgical consultation may be recommended for comprehensive facial planning.

Enhancing facial balance based on the E-Line doesn’t always require surgery. Modern cosmetic dentistry offers a gentler, safer, and more natural-looking alternative — when planned properly with an experienced specialist.

Smile Planning with Digital Smile Design: Achieve Facial Harmony Based on the Ricketts E-Line

In an era where soft, natural beauty is increasingly embraced, many people are turning to non-invasive solutions to enhance their smiles in harmony with their facial features—without major surgery.

One of the most powerful tools for achieving this precision in cosmetic dentistry is Digital Smile Design (DSD), combined with facial analysis based on the Ricketts E-Line.

Get to Know Digital Smile Design (DSD)

Digital Smile Design (DSD) is a cutting-edge 3D smile and facial analysis technology that allows dentists to design a new smile tailored to each individual’s unique features. It takes into account facial proportions, tooth shape, smile symmetry, and how the lips harmonize with the overall facial structure.

So how does Ricketts E-Line come into play?

Ricketts E-Line is an imaginary line drawn from the tip of the nose to the tip of the chin, used to evaluate lip position from a side profile. When the upper and lower lips are balanced in relation to this line, the face tends to appear softer and more harmonious.

Using DSD, dentists can incorporate the E-Line in planning orthodontics, veneers, or full smile redesigns to ensure the result enhances both the frontal and side facial aesthetics—not just the front view.