title: Comparison of two scales for evaluation of smile and dental attractiveness.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the visual analogue scale (VAS) and the simplified Q-sort method used to investigate the highest level of agreement among dentists, orthodontists and laypeople when assessing smile and dental attractiveness.
  
  
  METHODS
  An album containing 258 photos of 86 individuals with their lips at rest, a slight and broad smile, was assessed by 25 dentists (general clinicians and various specialties), 23 orthodontists and 27 laypeople with regard to smile and dental attractiveness. To this end, both VAS and simplified Q-sort method were used. Agreements were calculated by intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC).
  
  
  RESULTS
  For the single measurement between the VAS method and the simplified Q-sort method, all simplified Q-sort rates were higher in all groups. The simplified Q-sort method results ranged between 0.42 and 0.49 while those of the VAS method varied between 0.37 and 0.42. The simplified Q-sort method also presented higher mean measurement values (0.95 and 0.96) in comparison to VAS (0.94 and 0.95).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Both scales may be considered reliable for evaluating smile and dental attractiveness; however, the simplified Q-Sort method presented slightly higher values than the VAS method.
authors.affiliation: School of Dentistry, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Nova Friburgo, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors.forename: Pedro Lima Emmerich
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.affiliation: School of Dentistry, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Nova Friburgo, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors.forename: Andrea Fonseca Jardim da
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Motta
authors.affiliation: School of Dentistry, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Nova Friburgo, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors.forename: Clarice Julia
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Guerra
authors.affiliation: School of Dentistry, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Nova Friburgo, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors.forename: José Nelson
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Mucha
mesh_terms: D001294:Attitude to Health; D003815:Dentists / Q000523:psychology*; D004955:Esthetics, Dental; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods; D008046:Lip / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D000066792:Orthodontists / Q000523:psychology*; D023861:Photography, Dental / Q000379:methods; D011779:Q-Sort / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012904:Smiling; D014070:Tooth / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D064232:Visual Analog Scale