Individual Preferences for Profile Attractiveness on Two Diagnostic Techniques

Emphasis has been placed on facial harmony of both hard and soft tissue in orthodontic treatment planning.Objectives: To compare two diagnostic analyses using soft tissue landmarks (Arnett's Soft Tissue Cephalometric Analysis and Andrews' Six Elements Diagnostic System) for their ability to generate esthetic profiles in lateral repose and smiling. Methods: Photographs of 23 subjects in repose and smiling were digitally altered to represent the Arnett and Six Elements surgical predictions and presented to panels of professionals and lay people for rating on a visual analog scale (0-50). Data were analyzed using multiple pair t-tests. Results: Professionals and lay people both agreed that the Six Elements simulated profiles were significantly preferred to the Arnett simulated profiles in both the smiling and repose profile photographs. Overall the Six Elements profiles were rated higher (more esthetic) on the visual analog scale compared to the Arnett profiles for both professionals (mean difference 3.75 ± 0.96) and laypeople (mean difference 2.33 ± 0.37). Conclusions: These results suggest that surgical predictions using the Six Elements Diagnostic System can generate profiles that are more acceptable in smiling and repose to both professionals and lay people.