Perceptions of Dentists and Non-Professionals on Some Dental Factors Affecting Smile Aesthetics: A Study from Vietnam

Aim: It is important to meet the aesthetic expectation regarding the smile concept of both dentists and non-professionals after treatment is complete. Therefore, the study aims to evaluate the effects of altered displays in incisors, gingival margin, and other smile-related-factors on dentists' vs. non-professionals' aesthetics perceptions. Materials and method: We altered the features of 42 digital smile photographs to generate the changed displays in incisors, gingival margin, and other smile-related-factors. Then, these altered photographs were presented to 51 dentists and 51 non-professionals, and each picture was rated by each participant with a visual analog scale ranging from 0 (very ugly) to 100 (very beautiful). Results: We found that the alterations in incisors, gingival margin, and other factors affected studied groups' aesthetic perception of smile. The ugly smile threshold rated by both groups for crown length of maxillary central incisors was 2.0 mm. This threshold was 2.5mm for dentists, with moving the gingival margin of maxillary lateral incisors to the incisal ridge. The ugly thresholds for other smile-related-factors were different between studied groups; for example, the ugly thresholds for gingival exposure levels were 3 and 4mm for dentists and non-professionals, respectively. Thus, our data indicate that altered displays in incisors, gingival margin, and other smile-related-factors affected perceptions of both studied groups on smile aesthetics, but dentists tended to feel more refined than non-professionals. Dentists and non-professionals had significantly different aesthetic perceptions of the alteration of the gingival exposure level. Conclusion: Both dentists and non-professionals' perceptions should be fully considered during orthodontic and prosthodontic treatment to achieve optimum aesthetic results.