Influence of nose contours on aesthetic perception of maxillary incisor inclination in smiling facial profile of Indian subcontinent people

PurposeThis study was aimed to evaluate the perception of maxillary incisor inclination (MxI) on smiling facial profile with respect to various nose contours by orthodontists, general dentists and laypeople.Materials and methodsOne male and one female smiling facial profile photograph with a Class I occlusion on skeletal Class I jaw bases with normal profile were digitized. Each photograph was altered by changing the incisor inclination (+5°, +10°, −5°, −10°) and nose contour (straight, convex & concave) to obtain 15 photographs and were randomly distributed among the three groups to score the attractiveness using visual analogue scale.ResultsSignificant differences (P < 0.05) were detected when each photograph's ratings were compared. Convex nose contour with any MxI was rated as aesthetically unattractive by orthodontists whereas in concave nose subjects up to 5° labial inclination was preferred (P value 0.4440). Among the dentists and laypeople group up to 10° of lingual inclination in convex nose subjects and 5° of both labial and lingual inclinations in concave nose subjects were rated as attractive.ConclusionChange in the nose contour showed a statistically significant change in the aesthetic perception of maxillary incisor inclination among all the three groups.