Smile attractiveness. Self-perception and influence on personality.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate self-perception of smile attractiveness and to determine the role of smile line and other aspects correlated with smile attractiveness and their influence on personality traits.


METHODS
Participants judged their smile attractiveness with a patient-specific questionnaire. The questionnaire contained a spontaneous smiling photograph of the participant. Objective smile-line height was measured using a digital videographic method for smile analysis. Personality was assessed with the Dutch Personality Index.


RESULTS
Cronbach's alpha for the smile judgment questionnaire was .77. The results showed that size of teeth, visibility of teeth, and upper lip position were critical factors in self-perception of smile attractiveness (social dimension). Color of teeth and gingival display were critical factors in satisfaction with smile appearance (individual dimension). Participants, smiling with teeth entirely displayed and some gingival display (two to four millimeters), perceived their smile line as most esthetic. Smiles with disproportional gingival display were judged negatively and correlated with the personality characteristics of neuroticism and self-esteem. Visibility and position of teeth correlated with dominance.


CONCLUSIONS
The results of this research underpin the psychosocial importance and the dental significance of an attractive smile.
Department of Orthodontics and Oral Biology, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, The Netherlands.
Pieter
P
Van der Geld
Paul
P
Oosterveld
Guus
G
Van Heck
Anne Marie
AM
Kuijpers-Jagtman
D000328:Adult; D001504:Beauty; D004955:Esthetics, Dental / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D005881:Gingiva / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D006801:Humans; D008046:Lip; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012649:Self Concept; D012904:Smiling / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014070:Tooth / Q000033:anatomy & histology