OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the gingival exposition influence on the smile esthetics and if exists different opinions about it between orthodontists, clinical dentists and lay person. METHODS: Photographs of male and female smiling faces were manipulated on the computer with different gingival exposition levels, which ranges from 4 mm gingival exposition to 4 mm upper lip incisor coverage. The photos were printed on a real face size, placed unordered to be analyzed by 30 orthodontists, 30 clinical dentists and 30 lay person. They had to rate between very bad, bad, regular, good and very good judging on smile attractiveness. RESULTS: The more attractive smile for the female individuals judged by the orthodontists, clinical dentists and lay person were the one in which the upper lip rest on the cervical edge on the upper incisor, showing all the incisor crown (p<0.05). For the male individual, the best smile for the lay person was the one with the upper lip on the cervical crown of the upper incisor, and the orthodontists and clinical dentists considered the most esthetics the upper lip on the cervical crown of the upper incisor or 2 mm upper lip incisor coverage (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: The attractive smile is influenced by the gingival exposition, having different opinions between orthodontists, clinical dentists and lay person.
Esthetics; Smile; Gingival exposition
