Comparison of gingival display in smile attractiveness among restorative dentists, orthodontists, prosthodontists, periodontists, and laypeople

Statement of problem. Multidisciplinary treatment needs a common goal, and dentists should understand the esthetic perception of laypeople and the other specialists involved. Such information is sparse. Purpose. The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to compare the influence of gingival display on perceived smile esthetics among restorative dentists, orthodontists, prosthodontists, periodontists, and laypeople. Material and methods. Photographs of the smiles of 2 volunteers (1 female and 1 male) were manipulated on a computer to produce gingival exposure of 1, 3, and 5 mm and central incisor coverage of 3 and 5 mm. The images were evaluated by using a 100-mm visual analog scale by 155 raters divided into 5 groups (restorative dentists, orthodontists, prosthodontists, periodontists, and laypeople). Results. The dental specialists, mainly orthodontists and periodontists, were more sensitive about alterations in gingival display than the laypeople. For the female smile, higher mean scores were attributed to 1 mm of gingival exposure by all groups of raters. For the male smile, 3 mm of central incisor coverage received higher mean scores, except for the laypeople, who considered gingival display of 1 mm to be more attractive. For both smiles, 5 mm of gingival display was judged to be the least attractive. Conclusions. Considering the differences in opinion between dental specialists and laypeople and the acceptable variations in gingival display, the preferences of patients should be considered in the diagnosis and treatment decision-making process.