RESUMEN
BACKGROUND: Culture and ethnicity are among the factors affecting esthetic judgment of individuals. AIMS: This study aimed to assess the acceptability threshold of variations in four components of an esthetic smile namely vertical lip thickness, dental midline deviation, buccal corridor, and the golden ratio in maxillary lateral incisors display among laypersons of different races and cultures. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Raters (n = 35 in each city) among laypersons of nine cities namely Istanbul, Isfahan, Tabriz, Tehran, Doha, Rome, Sydney, Chicago, and Yazd, were given a photo album containing 27 random images of an attractive female smile, digitally altered with regard to the four smile components. They scored each picture from 0 to 100 in terms of smile attractiveness. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: Data were analyzed using SPSS 13 and the acceptability threshold for each component was calculated in each city using the Spearman and Wilcoxon tests. P< 0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: No significant differences were noted with regard to the increased vertical lip thickness, and an acceptability threshold could not be determined for it. The acceptability thresholds for midline deviations, buccal corridor, and the golden ratio were different among different cities. One-millimeter increase in the displayed width of maxillary lateral incisors was more desirable than the golden ratio standard width. CONCLUSION: Culture and race may significantly affect the esthetic preference of individuals with regard to smile attractiveness.
Asunto(s)
Características Culturales , Estética Dental , Etnicidad/psicología , Sonrisa , Adolescente , Adulto , Femenino , Humanos , Irán , Masculino , Persona de Mediana EdadRESUMEN
AIM: In the present study, we sought to assess the esthetic perception and level of acceptability of variations in smile components, including dental midline, buccal corridor, vertical lip thickness, and the golden ratio, by orthodontists, general dentists, dental students, artists, and laypersons. METHODS: An attractive female smile was digitally manipulated with regard to four smile components: dental midline, buccal corridor, vertical lip thickness, and the golden ratio. The manipulated photographs (n=27) were randomly arranged in a photo album and scored by five groups of raters (n=50 in each group) from zero to 100 using a horizontal visual analog scale. The acceptability threshold of each component by the five groups was calculated using the Spearman and Wilcoxon tests. RESULTS: Orthodontists and laypersons had the same perception of midline deviations, with an acceptability threshold lower than that of artists and general dentists. Only orthodontists perceived variations of buccal corridor (by 20%). Changes in vertical lip thickness were not perceived by any group. Orthodontists, general dentists, and laypersons had similar perceptions of variations in the golden ratio. Dental students and artists did not perceive variations in this component. CONCLUSION: Professional dental training can affect the esthetic judgement of smiles in individuals.