Perception of facial attractiveness by patients, peers, and professionals

Self-perception of facial attractiveness of 19 women (15 with Class II malocclusion and four with Class I malocculsion) was compared to the perceptions of the patient's peers, five orthodontists, and five oral surgeons. Each respondent ranked a set of four standardized facial photographs of each patient from most (1) to least (19) attractive. A surgical treatment plan was recommended for all of the Class II patients. However, only nine accepted surgery; six elected to undergo camouflaging orthodontics only. There was a statistically significant difference in the distribution of ranks given to the Class I, Class II camouflage-only, and Class II surgery groups by the panels. Overall, the Class I patients were judged most attractive. The Class II patients who elected to undergo orthodontics only were given mid-ranks, and the patients who elected surgery were ranked least attractive, although the distributions for overjet, point A-nasion-point B, and motivations for treatment were similar in the two groups. The distribution of self-ranks given by the patients were not significantly different among the three groups, although than the Class II patients perceived themselves as less attractive than the Class I patients.