title: Altered Esthetics in Primary Central Incisors: The Child's Perception.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study's purpose was to determine preschool-age children's social perceptions and self-perceptions regarding altered dental esthetics.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional study was carried out involving 431 four- to five-year-olds. The participants were shown four photographs of children with incisors exhibiting discoloration, crown fracture, missing tooth, or normal teeth. The children were asked four questions for analysis of social perceptions and two additional questions for analysis of self-perceptions. Binary logistic regression was used for the statistical analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Children had negative social perceptions, as a significant association was found between their negative feelings and the altered dental esthetics in children pictured in the photographs. The affected anterior incisor was indicated as the main reason for this feeling (odds ratio equals 4.68, 95 percent confidence interval [CI] equals 2.39 to 9.15). When analyzing self-perceptions, a significant association was found between negative feelings and the child's own altered dental esthetics. Children with altered esthetics felt 1.92-fold sadder than those without altered esthetics (95 percent CI equals 1.22 to 3.02). Again, the affected teeth were indicated as the main reason for this feeling (prevalence ratio equals 1.22) in comparison to reasons cited.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Four- to five-year-olds have negative social perceptions and self-perceptions regarding altered dental esthetics.
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Dentistry, Postgraduate Program in Dentistry, University of Pernambuco, Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil. fercsoares@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Fernanda Cunha
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: Soares
authors.affiliation: Postgraduate Program in Dentistry, University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, Santa Catarina, Brazil.
authors.forename: Mariane
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cardoso
authors.affiliation: Postgraduate Program in Dentistry, University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, Santa Catarina, Brazil.
authors.forename: Michele
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bolan
mesh_terms: D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004955:Esthetics, Dental / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007180:Incisor; D008297:Male; D012938:Social Perception