Rabia Bilal.
A comparative analysis of smile perception between orthodontists and laypersons.
Pak Oral Dental J Jan ;35(4):596-600.

Assessing smile is a highly subjective matter and it can vary depending upon the social, cultural, ethical & environmental factors. Modern orthodontics has been closely associated with esthetics. Because of the subjective character of esthetic parameters, orthodontists & patients should reach a consensus to establish common treatment goals. It has been shown that dentists, mainly the orthodontists, are less tolerant than laypersons while evaluating different characteristics of smile. The aim of this study was to evaluate the perception and preference of different smile attributes amongst orthodontists and laypersons. 31 smile photographs were given to 13 orthodontists and 13 laypersons. They were asked to rate them on attractiveness by using visual analogue scale on 6 attributes of smile mesh. SPSS 22 was used to analyze the data. There was no significant difference in the perceptions of smile between the two groups. However laypersons mean scoring was significantly higher in few photographs. The preference for various smile attributes showed variation between the groups. Orthodontists rated smile arc while laypersons rated incisal show as the most preferred attribute.

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