Use a reference with the expression you want whenever possible. A natural closed-mouth smile and an open smile are different facial configurations, not interchangeable finishing effects. Ask for a restrained expression, preserve the visible mouth shape and let the person approve the result before using it professionally. A more symmetrical smile is not necessarily a more authentic one.
Pick an expression before picking a background
A person who normally smiles with closed lips may feel unfamiliar in a generated portrait with a broad toothy grin. Choose between a relaxed neutral look, a small closed-mouth smile and an open smile based on the subject's preference. Do not use a workplace stereotype to decide how cheerful someone must appear.
Take a new phone photograph in soft light if the existing reference shows only a serious expression. It need not be a finished corporate photograph; it should provide clear evidence of the mouth and cheeks. A blurry selfie with a beauty filter is a weak reference for this particular task. Avoid asking the model to infer hidden teeth from a photograph in which none are visible.
Define what polish is allowed to change
An outfit, framing and simple background can change while the subject remains recognizable. Teeth spacing, tooth shape, lip thickness and the way the cheeks rise deserve separate attention. A request for professional quality should not silently straighten teeth, remove a visible gap or invent a different gum line.
Create a professional portrait using this authorized photograph. Keep the person's mouth proportions and the small relaxed smile shown in the reference. Preserve visible tooth shape and spacing when teeth are visible. Use soft neutral studio light, a plain blue-gray background and a simple business jacket. The expression should feel like this person's everyday smile, not an exaggerated advertising grin.
This is an example brief, not a guarantee of dental accuracy. Generative results must still be compared with the source. If exact appearance matters more than changing the setting, edit the original photo rather than asking for another face. Local tonal cleanup should not become an unsolicited cosmetic makeover.
Review the whole expression, not isolated white pixels
Compare the source and result at equal face size. Check whether the smile changes the jaw width, cheek shape or apparent eye opening. Look at the corners of the lips and the transition from mouth to cheek. A perfectly white row of teeth can still have an implausible shape or belong to a different expression.
- Confirm that the face is recognizable before enlarging it.
- Compare lip outline, mouth width and visible tooth spacing.
- Check whether both cheeks respond naturally to the smile.
- Inspect the mouth for duplicated highlights or fused teeth.
- View the portrait at its intended profile-photo size.
- Ask the subject which expression actually feels like them.
Keep a rejected candidate as a diagnostic reference if useful, but do not repeatedly use it as the new identity anchor. That can turn a small invented mouth detail into a persistent feature across later generations. Return to the original authorized photograph for a correction.
When a manual edit is the better choice
If the real smile already works, changing exposure and removing a minor background distraction may be enough. Photoroom's realism guide usefully distinguishes a believable presentation from fidelity to the original subject. Our portrait application of that distinction is an editorial recommendation, not a result from its product benchmark.
Can a higher resolution fix a strange smile?
It can make the problem easier to inspect, but a larger file does not establish which dental details are real. Fix the reference or expression brief first, then choose the available resolution for the final use.
Should every professional headshot show teeth?
No. A composed closed-mouth smile can be appropriate. In Portrait Studio, choose a presentation that suits the person and make expression preservation part of the review, rather than treating one smile style as universally professional.