Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 16, 2025
Oral Health Assessment by Lay Personnel for Older Adults
Published on: February 2, 2020
Perception of dental appearance and aesthetic analysis among patients, laypersons and dentists
Alhanoof Aldegheishem1, Hadeel Mohammed Alfayadh2, Munirah AlDossary3
1Department of Clinical Dental Sciences, College of Dentistry, Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University, Riyadh 11671, Saudi Arabia.
Background:
Current concepts of beauty are increasingly subjective, influenced by the viewpoints of others. The aim of the study was to evaluate divergences in the perception of dental appearance and smile esthetics among patients, laypersons and dental practitioners. The study goals were to evaluate the influence of age, sex, education and dental specialty on the participants' judgment and to identify the values of different esthetic criteria. Patients sample included 50 patients who responded to a dental appearance questionnaire (DAQ). Two frontal photographs were taken, one during a smile and one with retracted lips. Laypersons and dentists were asked to evaluate both photographs using a Linear Scale from (0-10), where 0 represent (absolutely unaesthetic) and 10 represent (absolutely aesthetic). One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and t-test analysis were measured for each group. Most patients in the sample expressed satisfaction with most aspects of their smiles and dental appearance. Among laypersons (including 488 participants), 47 pictures "with lips" out of 50 had higher mean aesthetic scores compared to pictures "without lips". Among the dentist sample, 90 dentists' perception towards the esthetic smile and dental appearance for photos "with lips" and "without lips" were the same for 23 out of 50 patients. Perception of smile aesthetics differed between patients, laypersons and dentists. Several factors can contribute to shape the perception of smile aesthetic.
Aim:
To compare the perception of dental aesthetic among patients, laypersons, and professional dentists, to evaluate the impact of age, sex, educational background, and income on the judgments made by laypersons, to assess the variations in experience, specialty, age, and sex on professional dentists' judgment, and to evaluate the role of lips, skin shade and tooth shade in different participants' judgments.
Methods:
Patients sample included 50 patients who responded to DAQ. Two frontal photographs were taken: one during a smile and one with retracted lips. Laypersons and dentists were asked to evaluate both photographs using a Linear Scale from (0-10), where 0 represent (absolutely unaesthetic) and 10 represent (absolutely aesthetic). One-way ANOVA and t-test analysis were measured for each group.
Results:
Most patients in the sample expressed satisfaction with most aspects of their smiles and dental appearance. Among laypersons (including 488 participants), 47 pictures "with lips" out of 50 had higher mean aesthetic scores compared to pictures "without lips". Whereas among the dentist sample, 90 dentists' perception towards the esthetic smile and dental appearance for photos "with lips" and "without lips" were the same for 23 out of 50 patients. Perception of smile aesthetics differed between patients, laypersons and dentists.
Conclusion:
Several factors can contribute to shape the perception of smile aesthetic.
Related Concept Videos
01:15Teeth
In the bud stage, the tooth germ (an aggregation of cells) starts to form in the developing jawbone. During the cap stage, the tooth germ differentiates into enamel organ, dental papilla, and dental sac, which will later develop into the tooth's enamel, dentin...
01:26Assessment of the Mouth
Mouth Inspection
The inspection begins with visually examining the mouth for symmetry, color, and size.
01:21Tooth Anatomy
The Crown, Neck, and Root
The visible part of the tooth is referred to as the crown. It's covered by enamel, the hardest substance in the human body. The crown is uniquely shaped for each type of tooth, allowing for different functions such as cutting, tearing, or...
01:29Assessment of the Gastrointestinal System II: Health Perception Pattern
Health Perception Patterns
Health perception patterns offer valuable insights into a patient's lifestyle habits and how they may impact their GI health. These patterns include:
01:11Oral Cavity
Teeth: The teeth are the hardest structures in our bodies. Humans have two sets of teeth throughout their lifetime: deciduous (baby) teeth and permanent teeth. Each tooth consists of several parts: the crown (visible part), the root (embedded in the jaw), enamel (hard outer...
01:25Factors Affecting Perception
An illustrative example of a perceptual set is the scenario where an airline pilot told...