Prevalence of tooth forms and their gender correlation

Area of Science:

• Dental Aesthetics
• Forensic Odontology
• Anthropometry

Background:

• Patient satisfaction in esthetic dentistry relies on perceived facial harmony.
• Previous assumptions suggested distinct tooth shapes for males and females, influencing smile design.
• The scientific basis for gender-specific tooth morphology in natural smiles requires objective evaluation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the prevalence of different pure and hybrid tooth shapes in a population.
• To determine if tooth shape can accurately predict a person's gender.
• To assess the accuracy of gender identification based on tooth shape among laypeople, dentists, and dental students.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of standardized digital photographs of 460 individuals by three experts.
• Classification of tooth shapes into pure forms (oval, triangular, square, rectangular) and hybrid forms (combinations).
• Evaluation of correct gender identification rates across different demographic groups.

Main Results:

• Hybrid tooth forms (e.g., triangular-oval, square-oval with scalloped incisors) were more prevalent than pure forms.
• No significant difference was observed in the accuracy of gender identification among laypeople, dentists, and dental students (approximately 50% correct).
• No reliable correlation was found between specific tooth shapes and patient gender.

Conclusions:

• Natural tooth shapes do not exhibit a consistent correlation with gender.
• Hybrid tooth forms are more common in the population than previously defined pure basic forms.
• Tooth shape selection for esthetic purposes should prioritize patient preference over outdated gender-based assumptions.