Role of canine vertical position and gingival zenith level on smile aesthetics and qualitative evaluation of perception by orthodontists, general dentists and laypersons: A descriptive cross-sectional study

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Original Article

Author Details : Kinjal Kale, Nasim Mirdehghan, Salil Nene, Ashwith Hegde, Ajit Kalia, Sakina Rampuri*

Volume : 10, Issue : 3, Year : 2024

Article Page : 174-185

https://doi.org/10.18231/j.ijohd.2024.033

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Abstract

Introduction: Our objectives were to verify the impact of alterations in the vertical position of the maxillary canines in smile aesthetic perceptions and to determine whether exposure of the gingival margins directly affects laypersons' and orthodontists' perceptions.
Aim and Objective: To evaluate the impact of vertical position and gingival zenith level of maxillary canine on smile esthetics as judged by orthodontists, general dentist and laypersons
Materials and Methods: This is a qualitative, descriptive cross-sectional study aimed at studying the role of vertical position and gingival zenith level on the smile esthetic perception. A smiling photograph of a male subject with and without exposing the gingival zeniths was selected, and vertical positions and gingival zenith levels of canine were symmetrically modified in increments of 0.5 mm, creating two sets of 4 new modified images varying from 1.0 mm of intrusion to 1.0 mm of extrusion and 1.0 mm of increasing and decreasing the height with gingival exposure. The total of 15 images were evaluated by 40 orthodontists, 40 general dentists and 40 laypersons, who determined the level of attractiveness of each smile on a visual analog scale.
Results: Both smile arc ( <0>0.05 for all), significantly higher intrusion and extrusion high smile images at 0.5mm level, (-value<0> Conclusions: Orthodontists were more critical in their assessments. There were no differences in the esthetic evaluations of smiles with and without gingival margin exposure for both groups of evaluators. For all the three evaluator groups, the most attractive ones were the standard smile and smile with the intrusion of 0.5 in high smile, standard and extrusion of 0.5 mm in the low smile group 0.5 mm of increased gingival zenith level (GZL) as perceived by orthodontists and general dentists, while for laypeople it was the standard smile. The unattractive smiles have extrusion and intrusion of 1mm for all the three evaluator groups 1 mm followed of decreased GZL of canine, for orthodontists and general dentist with 1mm increased. Laypeople, orthodontists scored all the images more critically by giving lesser scores compared to the general dentists and laypeople.

Keywords : Maxillary canines, Gingival margin exposure, GHZ of canines, Orthodontics

How to cite : Kale K, Mirdehghan N, Nene S, Hegde A, Kalia A, Rampuri S, Role of canine vertical position and gingival zenith level on smile aesthetics and qualitative evaluation of perception by orthodontists, general dentists and laypersons: A descriptive cross-sectional study. Int J Oral Health Dent 2024;10(3):174-185

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