Esthetic analysis of the smile

ABSTRACT

This study analyzed the esthetics components of the smile, evaluating the relationship between the curve formed by the incisal line of the anterior superior teeth and the curve of the inferior lip, the touch of this incisal line on the inferior lip, the teeth displayed during smile, the relationship between the facial midline with the arch midline, the location of the arch midline and gender differences. Eighty-eight undergraduate students of the dentistry course of the TiradentesUniversity were selected. Two photographs were taken (smiling face and smile) using digital camera. The statistical analysis was performed after image tracing evaluation. Results show that the coincidence of the facial midline with the arch midline occurred only on half of the students. Most of the students presented parallelism between the incisal plan and the interpupillary line. Smiles with or without touch of the incisal line on the lower lip, smiles revealing up to the seconds premolars or firsts molars, and parallel or straight smiles were also most commonly observed. The majority of the men presented centeredmidline arch while women presented deviation to the right. No difference was found between the distribution of the arch midline.