Perception of facial esthetics in young North Indian population

A person's ability to recognize a beautiful face is innate, but translating this into defined treatment goals is a challenge for clinicians.

To determine if faces considered esthetic and pleasing in the young North Indian population (both males and females) exhibit similar cephalometric measurements as used for ideal treatment and successful results.

A panel of five judges evaluated a set of one frontal, one frontal during smiling, and one profile extra-oral photograph of 160 students (80 females and 80 males) on a five-point attractiveness scale. For each photographic set, the mean and final scores were calculated. Once the sample was assessed, 60 subjects (30 females and 30 males) with the highest final facial aesthetic score were selected and cephalometric analysis was performed. The obtained data were subjected to statistical analysis using SPSS 20 software.

Both males and females with class I skeletal jaw bases were found to be attractive. The females with short faces; mild facial convexity and lower lip closer to the esthetic line were found to be attractive. The males with a prominent chin, straight profile, prominent nose, increased upper lip thickness, upper lip length, and lower lip length were found to be attractive.

The faces considered attractive in this study fulfilled most of the cephalometric norms commonly used for the diagnosis and treatment planning except for a few inconsistencies which may be attributed to the gender and demographic origin.