Perception of Smile Attractiveness Based on Gingival Display and Smile Arc Among Dentists, Dental Students, and Laypersons

Perception of Smile Attractiveness Based on Gingival Display and Smile Arc Among Dentists, Dental Students, and Laypersons

Hadia Khalil* 

Islamic International Dental College, Riphah International University, Pakistan

Urva Javed 

Islamic International Dental College, Riphah International University, Pakistan

Minahil Aruj 

Islamic International Dental College, Riphah International University, Pakistan

Sana Iqbal

Islamic International Dental College, Riphah International University, Pakistan

Madiha Khalid

 Islamic International Dental College, Riphah International University, Pakistan

*Corresponding address: Islamic International Dental College, Riphah International University, Pakistan. Email: hadia.khalil@riphah.edu.pk

DOI:

 

ABSTRACT

Objective:

Smile attractiveness is a multifactorial construct influenced by variables such as tooth alignment, gingival display, and smile arc curvature. Despite growing global research on smile aesthetics, there is limited data from South Asia, particularly Pakistan, that evaluates these features across diverse demographic groups.

Methods:

A cross-sectional analytical study was conducted among 810 participants in Pakistan, stratified into dentists (n=186), dental students (n=366), and laypersons (n=258). Participants rated digitally modified images depicting varied smile arcs (consonant, reverse, flat) and gingival displays (normal, high, low) using a Visual Analog Scale (VAS). Data were analyzed using two-way ANOVA, Tukey’s HSD, and Chi-square tests to evaluate group differences and demographic associations.

Results:

Consonant arcs with normal gingival display received the highest attractiveness ratings across all groups, while reverse arcs with high gingival display were rated lowest. The two-way ANOVA indicated significant effects of participant group (p < 0.001) and smile type (p < 0.001) on attractiveness ratings, with an interaction effect (p = 0.005). Chi-square tests revealed significant associations between group, gender, and age distributions.

Conclusion:

This study provides valuable insights into smile aesthetic perceptions in Pakistan, highlighting the influence of clinical training on aesthetic sensitivity. These findings can guide treatment planning in esthetic dentistry, though future research incorporating cross-cultural analyses and dynamic smile assessments is recommended.

Keywords: aesthetics; arch; dental; human; smile

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How to Cite: Khalil H et al., Perception of Smile Attractiveness Based on Gingival Display and Smile Arc Among Dentists, Dental Students, and Laypersons. J Sci Technol Educ Art Med. 2025;2(1):

This work is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International