Objective measures as indicators for facial esthetics in white adolescents

The objective of this study was to examine the contribution of objective measures representing anterior-posterior and vertical characteristics, dental esthetics, or their combination that are used in daily orthodontic practice in the assessment of facial esthetics. A panel of 78 laymen evaluated facial esthetics of 32 boys and 32 girls, stratified over the four Angle classes, on a visual analogue scale. The relation between the objective parameters and facial esthetics was evaluated by backward multiple regression analysis. Dental esthetics as expressed by the Aesthetic Component of the Index of Orthodontic Treatment Need (AC/IOTN) appeared to be the most important indicator for facial esthetics. A new parameter, the "horizontal sum" was found to be a reliable variable for the anterior-posterior characteristics of the patient. Addition of this newly defined parameter to the AC/IOTN improved the prognostic value from 25% to 31%.