Esthetic Perception of Various Forms of Anterior Diastemas during Smiling

Abstract

Introduction Midline diastema is a common esthetic problem in mixed and permanent dentition. It is considered attractive in some cultures and unattractive in others. Aim The aim of this study is to compare the perceptions of anterior diastema by dental students and laypersons. Materials and Methods The study was conducted on 100 undergraduate students of Bhojia Dental College (n = 50) and Bhojia Nursing College (n = 50), Himachal Pradesh, India. A self-prepared questionnaire was given, which consisted of two parts: first part had personal details (name, age, sex, knowledge of diastema) and the second part contained an edited photograph of a patient who had reported to the Department of Orthodontics, Bhojia Dental College, with the chief complaint of midline diastema. The photographs were modified by photoediting software and arranged according to the previous studies on anterior diastema by Frush and Fisher, Lombardi, and Simian. A visual analog scale with scores 1–4 (1, most attractive; 2, attractive; 3, less attractive; 4, least attractive) was used to rank these photographs by the students. Comparison between various variables was made by using chi-squared test. Results Smile attractiveness from the most to the least attractive was Simian > Frush and Fisher > Lombardi > midline diastema among both dental and nursing students. Gender and presence of diastema had no relation with the students’ perceptions (p > 0.05). Conclusion The location and width of diastema had an important role in the perception of dental diastemas. Midline diastema was a gap with most negative perception.

Smile Attractiveness and Treatment Needs of Maxillary Midline Diastema with Various Widths: Perception among Laypersons, Dental Students, and Dentists in Malaysia

“…Maxillary midline diastema (MMD) is clinically characterized as a gap or space between the two maxillary central incisors with prevalence ranges from 1.6% to 25.4% [ 1 ]. It is a common dental phenomenon that presents in growing children and requires no treatment [ 2 ].…”

“…For example, the smile attractiveness of MMD with various widths may be perceived differently by dental and nondental personnel from diverse sociodemographic backgrounds [ 4 ]. Additionally, the perception of smile discrepancy is highly subjective and can be influenced by cultural, ethnic, gender, and age factors among laypersons [ 1 , 5 ]. However, experienced dental clinicians who have been well-trained to objectively analyze smile attractiveness can easily detect minor discrepancies in ideal smile parameters [ 6 ].…”