Perception of Orthodontists, General Dentists and Laypersons to Altered Dental Esthetics by Substitution of Impacted Maxillary Canines: A Photographic Study

Abstract

Aims and Objectives: To evaluate the potential post-orthodontic smile aesthetics of the aligned canine/prosthetic replacement, substituted premolars, deciduous canines as a treatment options for impacted maxillary canines as perceived by Orthodontists, General Dentists and Laypersons. and to make comparative analysis between the groups.

Design: A Cross Sectional Study

Materials and Methods: A study involving 153 raters from three groups (Orthodontists, General Dentists, and Laypersons) assessed smile attractiveness using six digitally manipulated images representing various treatments for impacted maxillary canines: prosthetic replacement, substituted premolars, retained deciduous canines, and different combinations thereof. Each group of raters (n=51, 25 males and 26 females) evaluated the images randomly and rated them using a Visual Analog Scale (VAS) for attractiveness. Statistical analysis used one-way ANOVA for pairwise comparisons of mean VAS scores, with a significance level set at P < 0.05.

Results and Conclusions: Orthodontists, General Dentists, and Laypersons showed consistent perceptions of smile attractiveness in cases where canines were unilaterally aligned with either substituted first premolars or retained deciduous canines. This consistency in perception was evident across various treatment scenarios, including prosthetic canine replacement on both sides, bilateral premolar substitution, bilateral retention of deciduous canines, and unilateral treatments like retaining a deciduous canine on one side and substituting a premolar on the other, or aligning a canine on one side while either substituting a premolar or retaining a deciduous canine on the opposite side.