RESUMO
Aim: The aim of this study was to assess the esthetic perception of adults with primary, secondary and higher education and recent dental graduates towards different combinations of facial contours and upper central incisor shapes. Methods: Photographs of 6 individuals with square, tapered and ovoid facial contours (2 per type) were modified to have the 3 different types of tooth shapes (square, tapered and ovoid) in each facial contour (total of 18 photographs). The 195 participants rated each photograph using visual analogue scales. Comparison between groups was performed using the Chi-square t-test ('alfa'=0.05). Results: No statistically significant differences (p>0.05) were found in the esthetic perception towards the frontal facial outline and upper incisor shape by participants educational level. In addition, the shapes of teeth perceived as the most esthetically pleasing were not always similar to the form of frontal facial outline evaluated. Conclusions: No general agreement was found in the esthetic perception towards the frontalfacial outline and upper incisor shape by educational level. Dentists tend to prefer ovoid shape tooth for almost all frontal facial outline.