Assessment of objective and subjective measures as indicators for facial esthetics.

BACKGROUND: The study mentioned was aimed to examine the contribution of the objective measures representing anterior-posterior (AP) and vertical characteristics, dental esthetics, or their combination that are used in daily orthodontic practice in the assessment of the facial esthetics.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: A panel of 64 laypersons evaluated the facial esthetics of 32 boys and 32 girls, stratified over four different angle classes, on a visual analog scale. The relationship between the objective parameters and facial esthetics was evaluated by the backward multiple regression analysis.

RESULTS: Dental esthetics, expressed by the esthetic component of the index of orthodontic treatment need (AC/IOTN), appeared to be the most vital indicator for facial esthetics. The horizontal sum, a variable for AP characteristics of the patient, could be a better variable when compared with the overjet.

CONCLUSION: Addition of this newly defined parameter to the AC/IOTN improved the prognostic value from 25% to 35%.