A Comparative Assessment Of The Perception Of People With Different Backgrounds Regarding Skeletal Class ⅠChinese Facial Profile Esthetics

Objective:The purpose was to compare the perception of people with different background regarding skeletal class Ⅰ Chinese facial profile esthetics.Method:Lateral cephalograms of male and female patients with class Ⅰ skeletal jaw base were selected and classified into straight and non-straight group on the basis of Ricketts E line and Holdaway H line angle. One male and one female profile photograph from straight and non-straight group were randomly selected and were given to participants for assessment. The participants included in the study comprised of dental professionals, orthodontic patients, non-professionals, non-dental students and dental students (n=50). Subjects were asked to assess the photographs on2point Linkert scale and answer the questionnaire provided along with it. Similarities among the participant groups were compared using spearman rank correlation and differences among groups were compared using χ2.Results:There were significant correlation between the different groups of participants for the esthetic perception of straight male (p=0.026) and straight female profile photographs (p=0.012), whereas there were no statistical significant correlation in between the groups for perception of non-straight male (p=0.083) and female photographs (p=0.324). The perception of participants had difference when they viewed straight female and straight male profiles (p=0.001). Nose and forehead were considered as important influential factors amongst the facial features for decision making (p=0.013; p=0.037respectively). On comparing female straight and non-straight profiles, only dental professionals showed significant correlation with the standards of E line and H line angle (p=0.025) whereas for male profiles, perception of all groups except non-dental students (p=0.196) were statistically correlated with E line and H line angle standards (p=0.002;0.005;0.018;0.002). Perceptions of groups were consistent with E and H line angle for straight profiles only (male p=0.020; female p=0.011)Conclusion:Straight profile photographs were preferred over non-straight profile photographs by the participants. When straight profile photographs were perceived, there existed similarity between the groups. Gender difference was noticed when participants perceived straight profile photographs. Perceptions of dental professionals were contiguous with the standards of E line and H line angle. Nose and forehead were considered important facial features for decision making.