THE PERCEPTION OF SELECTED ASPECTS OF SMILE ESTHETICS – SMILE ARCS AND BUCCAL CORRIDORS A Thesis Presented in Partial Fulfillment for the Degree Master of Science in the Graduate School of The Ohio State University By

Some believe orthodontics has undergone a “paradigm shift” to focus more on esthetics, with emphasis on the soft tissues surrounding the mouth. This web based study evaluated changes in attractiveness based on computerized variations of smile arcs and buccal corridors for male and female smiles judged by orthodontists and laypersons on a visual analog scale. The results indicate that both laypersons and orthodontists prefer smiles in which the smile arc parallels the lower lip and buccal corridors are minimal. Significantly lower attractiveness ratings were found for smiles with flat smile arcs and excessive buccal corridors. Flattening of the smile arc overwhelms the deleterious effects of excessive buccal corridors on attractiveness ratings. Based on the results of this study, care should be taken not to produce an excessively flat smile arc during orthodontic treatment.