RESUMEN
STATEMENT OF PROBLEM: The meaning of the beauty has a little different nature according to a time, culture, and nation. PURPOSE: This study was undertaken to estimate the geometric esthetic criteria for Korean woman by analysis of facial photograph in a smiling. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The facial photographs of 678 Korean beautiful woman were collected from Miss Korea candidates(from 1971 to 2003 year). The dento-facial composition was measured and analyzed geometrically on computer monitor using Adobe. Photoshop. 7.0. The statistical significance of the differences among the 4 decade groups was estimated by a chi2 test. RESULT: The Korean beautiful woman showed the geometric characteristics such as the 'coincidence'(83.0%) between facial midline and dental midline, the 'normal'(96.9%) alignment and arrangement of upper anterior teeth, the 'average'(79.1%) position and 'upward'(53.4%) curvature of upper lip, the 'parallel'(85.7%) relationship between the lower lip and upper anterior incisal curvature, the 'touching'(49.9%) and 'not-touching'(44.8%) relationship between upper anterior incisor and lower lip, the 'first premolar'(54.1%) and 'second premolar'(38.9%) displayed in a smile, and the 'symmetry'(89.4%) of smile. There was statistical significance among the 4 decades in the respect of the upper lip curvature, the relationship between upper anterior incisor and lower lip, and the most posterior teeth displayed in a smile (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: The Korean beautiful woman showed similar results to the western esthetic criteria in the some respects and the tendency that the Korean woman had more active smiling recently.