The influence of dentofacial appearance on the social attractiveness of young adults

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to determine whether the social attractiveness of a young adult would be influenced by his or her dentofacial appearance. Black and white photographs of an attractive male, an unattractive male, an attractive female, and an unattractive female were obtained and modified so that, for each face, five different photographic versions were available. In each version, the face was standardized except that a different dentofacial arrangement was demonstrated. These were normal incisors, prominent incisors, absence of upper left lateral incisor, severely crowded incisors, and unilateral cleft lip. Eight hundred young adults were shown one of the twenty photographs and asked to estimate the represented individual's social characteristics along a number of bipolar scales. Each photograph was viewed by a different group of forty young adults, equally divided as to sex. Their impressions of the depicted individuals' social attractiveness were recorded on visual analogue scales. The experimental procedure was such that the effect and interaction of different levels of facial attractiveness, different dentofacial arrangements, sex of the photographed individual, and sex of the judge could be analyzed. Faces displaying a normal incisor relationship gained the most favorable ratings for eight of the ten characteristics examined, and in four of these differences across the range of dental conditions were statistically significant. These were perceived friendliness, social class, popularity, and intelligence. The prominent incisor condition was rated highest for compliance and honesty, while the condition representing a unilateral cleft consistently attracted low ratings. Background facial attractiveness of either the male or female stimuli was often more assertive than the individual dental condition. The hypothesis that young adults with a normal dental appearance would be judged to be more socially attractive over a range of personal characteristics was upheld.