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What is the psycho-social impact of dento-facial appearance?

Facial attractiveness is an important element in the complexity of human interactions and often, is not limited to a first impression. This feature may also be used to infer various characteristics about an individual’s persona, character, intelligence etc. The appearance of the mouth and teeth is an important part of facial esthetics and may include or exclude individuals from some prestigious occupations or professional groups.

Orthodontic abnormalities in children are often associated with lower expectations by their teachers, with bullying by other children, as well as ratings of lower attractiveness and lower popularity. Studies have demonstrated that people with severe crowding and large midline diastemas are perceived to be less successful in terms of intelligence, beauty, social class and sexual attractiveness. Additionally, persons with teeth in a neutral or protrusive position were preferred over those with teeth positioned more retrusively.

The presence of visible dental decay, the degree of teeth “whiteness” and the position of dental decay also affected the perception of intelligence and social competency. Individuals with less decay and whiter teeth were judged to be more socially and psychologically competent and to have greater intellectual achievement.

In cases of orthodontic anomalies, including cleft lip and palate, studies do not show a major psychological impact on these patients. Perhaps, these individuals and families have developed coping mechanisms, strong communication channels and greater support between members of the family. However, it is important to recognize the impact that people’s reaction have on individuals with such anomalies.

Source: Principles and Practice of Esthetic Dentistry (Elsevier 2015)

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