Comparison of perception on facial profile attractiveness of different antero-posterior proportions in a female subject among laypersons, dentist and orthodontists: An observational study

Abstract

: Current Orthodontic diagnosis and treatment plan is based on the arrangement of the soft tissue complex. This makes the execution of treatment plan very challenging as beauty is a subjective factor leading to different facial evaluations. This study aims at comparing and evaluating the perception of facial attractiveness of different antero-posterior proportions of the chin which was altered digitally in a female subject among laypersons, dentists and orthodontists. A digital profile photograph of a 26 year old female subject was selected for the study. The subject was randomly selected from the Department of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopaedics, Institute of Dental Sciences & Sum Hospital, Bhubaneswar, Odisha and was advised for pre-treatment Orthopantomogram, Lateral Cephalogram. The profile image was digitally altered using Adobe Photoshop software to create 11 images which was given to 10 Orthodontists, Dentists and laypersons for evaluation of their perception of facial profile attractiveness on a VAS scale. A straight profile in a female subject is perceived as the most attractive by all the three categories of evaluators. It can be concluded that this study provides a basis for understanding facial profile preferences by different groups of people as well as their degree of sensitivity.