Esthetic Benefit of Orthodontic Treatments in Patients of Different Racial Backgrounds

Introduction: There is significant diversity in facial features among individuals. Certain features are of interest to the orthodontic community as they can guide and be influenced by treatment. This study focused on patients with Class I bimaxillary protrusion which could reasonably be treated with or without the extraction of four bicuspids, impacting profile in different ways. A growing body of literature suggests that how laypeople view the attractiveness of others may be influenced by their own race or ethnicity. Little research has examined how the race of individuals influences their perceived attractiveness by others. Methods: A questionnaire was distributed to participants via Qualtrics Software. Eight cases (two each from White, Black, Hispanic, and Asian women) were presented with pre-treatment, simulated extraction, and simulated non-extraction profiles. Participants ranked each set from most to least attractive. Pearson chi-square tests were used to examine associations between viewer race, case race, and esthetic preference. All statistical tests were two-sided with statistical significance of p < .05. Results: Significant associations were found between viewer race and esthetic preference in four scenarios. Esthetic preferences also varied depending on the race of the case being viewed, with pre-treatment profiles preferred for Asian cases while extraction profiles were preferred for Black, Hispanic, and White cases. Substantial agreement was observed across racial groups with most preferring extraction profiles regardless of their own race. Conclusion: An association was found between race of the observer and race of the observed as they relate to perception of facial profile attractiveness. Results of this study demonstrate a complex relationship between race and esthetics and highlight the clinical importance of considering racial factors in esthetics.

Author dc:creator

• Jenna Berry (24400040)

• Orthodontics

Statement dc:rights

• In Copyright
• Open Access after 2028-05-01

DOI dc:identifier

https://doi.org/10.25417/uic.32995103.v1

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:figshare.com:article/32995103