title: The influence of mandibular prominence on facial attractiveness.
abstract: This study examined the attractiveness of facial profiles. One hundred and two social science students (28 males and 74 females) rated the attractiveness of a series of silhouettes with normal, Class II or Class III profiles. A random sequence of 10 images included an image with the Eastman normal SNB value of 78 degrees, and images with SNB values of 2.5, 5, 7.5 and 10 degrees above and below normal. A duplicate image in each sequence was used to assess reproducibility. The participants scored the attractiveness of each image and also indicated whether they would seek treatment if each image was their own profile. The profile with the normal SNB angle of 78 degrees was rated as the most attractive. Attractiveness scores reduced as the mandibular profile diverged from the normal SNB value. The +5 degree profile (SNB = 83 degrees) was rated as significantly more attractive than the -5 degree profile (SNB = 73 degrees; P = 0.004). No other significant differences between the scores for Class II and Class III profile pairs of equal severity were found. At 10 degrees below the normal SNB (Class II), 74 per cent of the sample would elect to have treatment, while 78 per cent would elect to have treatment at 10 degrees above the normal SNB (Class III).
authors.affiliation: Orthodontic Division, Oral Healthcare Research Centre, School of Clinical Dentistry, Northern Ireland, UK. c.d.johnston@qub.ac.uk
authors.forename: Chris
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Johnston
authors.forename: Orlagh
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Hunt
authors.forename: Donald
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Burden
authors.forename: Mike
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Stevenson
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Hepper
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001504:Beauty; D002508:Cephalometry / Q000592:standards; D005145:Face / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008312:Malocclusion, Angle Class II / Q000523:psychology*; D008313:Malocclusion, Angle Class III / Q000523:psychology*; D008334:Mandible / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D015588:Observer Variation; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires