Contemporary orthodontic finishing involves the planning for individualized aesthetics, tissue health and post-treatment stability. That planning should take into account the individual morphologic and functional characteristics of each patient. Attention to detail is paramount, not only when considering the mechanical aspects of treatment, but also in the pretreatment diagnostic process. Special emphasis should be placed on the underlying vertical muscle pattern and its implications on both the transverse width of the dental arches and smile and the antero-posterior relationships of the teeth and lips. Clinical cases with at least 10-year follow-up records will be presented.