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Association Between Confidence in Smiling and Esthetic Characteristics
Author(s) -
Muniz Francisco Wilker Mustafa Gomes,
Cavalcante Denise Juaçaba,
Moreira Maria Mônica Studart Mendes,
Rodrigues Lidiany Karla Azevedo,
Fernandes Carlos Augusto,
de Almeida Paulo César,
Carvalho Rosimary
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
journal of esthetic and restorative dentistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.919
H-Index - 60
eISSN - 1708-8240
pISSN - 1496-4155
DOI - 10.1111/jerd.12278
Subject(s) - confidence interval , dentistry , medicine , psychology , orthodontics
ABSTRACT Objective This study aimed to analyze which facial, gingival and dental characteristics are associated with confidence in smiling among 75 subjects seeking treatment in a northern Brazilian public dental university. Materials and Methods Clinical examinations and three standardized photographs of each subject were taken by one trained examiner. In addition, a questionnaire was applied to assess confidence in smiling. The subjects were dichotomized into two groups, non‐confident ( n = 36) and confident ( n = 39) in smiling. Chi‐square/Fischer exact test were used to associate the facial, gingival and dental characteristics between groups. Results The subjects that reported to be non‐confident in smiling were statistically associated with smile type ( p = 0.030) and wrongly positioned teeth ( p = 0.047). On the other hand, gender ( p = 0.491), marital status ( p = 0.217), gum pigmentation ( p = 0.930), midline ( p = 0.176), volume of the upper ( p = 0.380), and lower ( p = 0.615) lips were not associated with self‐reported confidence in smiling. Conclusion In patients seeking dental treatment in a public dental university, non‐confidence in smiling was associated only with some oral and intraoral characteristics and not with demographic characteristics. Clinical Significance This study showed that only smile type and wrongly positioned teeth were statistically associated with confidence in smiling. Dentists should pay attention to those intraoral characteristics, but the clinical decision making should always include the patients' perception. (J Esthet Restor Dent 29:E56–E66, 2017)