Laypersons' perception of smile esthetics from different backgrounds
Fereshteh Najarzadegan1, Faezeh Eslamipour2
1Department of Orthodontics, School of Dentistry, New York University, School of Dentistry, New York, USA.
Dental Research Journal
|August 27, 2024
Summary
Cultural perceptions of smile aesthetics differ, with Americans showing more tolerance for variations in diastema, gingival display, and buccal corridors compared to Iranians. Both groups largely agreed on ideal smile characteristics.
Area of Science:
- Dental Aesthetics
- Cross-Cultural Psychology
- Facial Analysis
Background:
- Smile aesthetics are subjective and influenced by cultural norms.
- Previous research has not extensively compared Western and Eastern perceptions of smile characteristics.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of cultural and geographic factors on the perception of smile aesthetics.
- To compare how American (Western) and Iranian (Eastern) laypersons judge specific smile characteristics.
Main Methods:
- An analytical cross-sectional study involving 100 participants from the USA and 100 from Iran.
- Standardized smile images were digitally altered to vary midline diastema, gingival display (GD), maxillary midline-to-face discrepancy, buccal corridor (BC), and smile arc.
- Participants rated the attractiveness and acceptability of the altered smiles.
Main Results:
- Americans were significantly more lenient than Iranians in judging diastema, GD, and BC for smile attractiveness.
- No significant differences were found in acceptability thresholds, except for BC, where Iranians were more critical.
- Both groups demonstrated agreement on most smile evaluations.
Conclusions:
- Cultural background influences the perception of smile aesthetics, with Americans exhibiting greater tolerance for variations.
- While minor differences exist, a general consensus on smile characteristics suggests the potential for universally applicable aesthetic standards.
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