Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 13, 2026

Creating Virtual-hand and Virtual-face Illusions to Investigate Self-representation
Published on: March 1, 2017
Smile attractiveness. Self-perception and influence on personality
Pieter Van der Geld1, Paul Oosterveld, Guus Van Heck
1Department of Orthodontics and Oral Biology, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, The Netherlands.
Objectives:
To investigate self-perception of smile attractiveness and to determine the role of smile line and other aspects correlated with smile attractiveness and their influence on personality traits.
Subjects And Methods:
Participants judged their smile attractiveness with a patient-specific questionnaire. The questionnaire contained a spontaneous smiling photograph of the participant. Objective smile-line height was measured using a digital videographic method for smile analysis. Personality was assessed with the Dutch Personality Index.
Results:
Cronbach's alpha for the smile judgment questionnaire was .77. The results showed that size of teeth, visibility of teeth, and upper lip position were critical factors in self-perception of smile attractiveness (social dimension). Color of teeth and gingival display were critical factors in satisfaction with smile appearance (individual dimension). Participants, smiling with teeth entirely displayed and some gingival display (two to four millimeters), perceived their smile line as most esthetic. Smiles with disproportional gingival display were judged negatively and correlated with the personality characteristics of neuroticism and self-esteem. Visibility and position of teeth correlated with dominance.
Conclusion:
The results of this research underpin the psychosocial importance and the dental significance of an attractive smile.
More Related Videos
07:14Investigating the 'Uncatchable Smile' in Leonardo da Vinci's La Bella Principessa: A Comparison with the Mona Lisa and Pollaiuolo's Portrait of a Girl
Published on: October 4, 2016
07:12Protocol for Data Collection and Analysis Applied to Automated Facial Expression Analysis Technology and Temporal Analysis for Sensory Evaluation
Published on: August 26, 2016
Related Concept Videos
Factors Influencing Attraction VI: Personality Traits
Factors Influencing Attraction II: Physical Attraction
Relationship Formation
Causes of Social Behavior I: Actions and Characteristics of Individuals
Self-Evaluation: Self-Enhancement and Self-Verification
Factors Influencing Attraction V: Social Skills