Influence of Lower Incisor Exposure on Dental Aesthetic Perception
Esthetics, Dental. Incisor. Smiling. Middle Aged.
Lower incisor extrusion and loss of muscle tone are natural outcomes of aging in individuals. Consequently, these teeth become more visible in the smiles, speech, and rest of middle-aged individuals. However, the influence of this exposure on smile aesthetic has not been evaluated. The aim of this study is to assess the impact of lower incisor extrusion on the aesthetic composition of dental smiles in middle-aged patients, from the perspective of dental surgeons and laypeople. For these analyses, digitally modified smile and resting position photographs of a male and a female model were divided into two groups: one varying the exposure of lower incisors and the other varying the exposure of both lower and upper incisors, resulting in a total of 48 images for evaluators’ analysis. The evaluator groups include orthodontists, oral rehabilitators, general clinicians, and/or specialists from other fields, as well as laypeople who evaluated these images via a questionnaire on the Google platform. Statistical tests will be conducted using a significance level of 5%, a test power of 80%, and the results will be presented through tables and graphs.