woman smiling

How A Smile Can Help You Feel More Attractive: Is Orthodontics The Determining Factor?

What is the best way to maximize your beauty and gain the most attention from others any given day of the week?   TRY SMILING!

Both women and men agree that they find the upwards curve of a smiling person to be the most influential facial feature which overall affects a person’s level of attraction the most between one another! This is based off a research study published recently in the American Journal of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics. Smiling not only connects and engages individuals, but it also is the best form of nonverbal communication signaling a wide variety of factors.

When it comes to facial appeal, women stated that they find a person’s smile to be at most responsible for attractiveness. For men, a smile ranked just as high and important when gauging what they deem most alluring.  However, hair and eyes were also top contenders when men are deciding on a person’s facial/aesthetic magnetism, according to the collected data.

“Smile attractiveness was strongly correlated with the attractiveness of the smiling face, which is the only significant component,” wrote the authors, led by Joana Godinho, FMD, of the University of Lisbon in Portugal (Am J Orthod Dentofacial Orthop, January 2020, Vol. 157:1, pp. 98-104).

woman smiling

Enter the importance of orthodontics!  

Teeth that are not in proper alignment or seem out of place, misshaped or crooked have a huge impact on how others perceive not only attractiveness, but it also correlates with intelligence, personality and behavior. When it comes to dentistry, specifically in orthodontics, quantifying the balance, symmetry, and overall prominence of the smile in terms of cosmetic and functional development is key when professionals are evaluating a patient’s treatment plan.

The purpose of the study was to analyze all of the contributing facial elements on the frontal evaluation of the attractiveness of smiling faces. The study aimed all of its research in that direction. In order to assess this, the researchers selected 30 women and 30 men from the patient files of the University of Lisbon Orthodontics Department. The best way to determine the results were to isolate each distinctive facial component from each original photo of the ‘smiling face’. Then, they gave the image to women and men participating in the study to judge the value.

The results were in!  

The information indicated, when it comes to women, 69% of the variation in facial attractiveness is attributed to the smile. Men on the other hand, found that the smile alone only accounted for 49% of the variability in the assessment of structure and facial captivation. The eyes and hair played a much bigger role in facial attractiveness and the combination of all is really what men are looking at. Approximately 20% of the variation of facial appeal was attributed to the eyes and only about 6% to the hair, data showed. 

Of course, like any discovery, the study was not without limitations including accuracy. Despite the fact that the findings show how importantly a smile plays in the level of attractiveness, people are basing their evaluation simply by looking at photographs. Though we can tell a lot from popular appearance, these are static 2D representations. It would be beneficial to have the ability to identify a more dynamic approach and records, which could help us to visualize and stimulate emotional patterns as noted by the authors.

Dentists and Orthodontics are ahead of the curve, figuratively and literally.  

Both industry experts understand the importance of the smile to enhance a person’s face and overall appeal in all aspects of their life. This is why when they are providing treatment to correct smiles, attractiveness is always a top interest in mind.

“Understanding the influence of each element for facial attractiveness as a whole could help in quantifying the limits of orthodontics when the teeth and the soft tissues undergo treatment,” the authors wrote.

If you find yourself unhappy with your smile and lacking confidence because of crooked, misplaced teeth, it is time for a complimentary orthodontic consultation with one of our KidZdent professionals.  Feel free to ask questions regarding not only proper alignment for optimal dental health, but also the aesthetic results that can be achieved and which orthodontic options may be the best and most appealing choice for you!

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