Evaluation of facial profile characteristics of aesthetically pleasing Iranian faces

Abstract

Background: The objective of this study was to assess the soft and hard tissue cephalometric indexes of facial profiles perceived as attractive.

Methods: A total of 360 individuals (180 females and 180 males) with well-balanced faces and no history of orthodontic or cosmetic procedures were selected. Twenty-six raters (13 females and 13 males) rated the attractiveness of profile view photographs of the enrolled individuals. According to the total score, the rated top 10% of photographs were selected as attractive. Overall, 81 (40 soft tissue and 41 hard tissue) cephalometric measurements were made on traced cephalograms of the attractive faces. The obtained values were compared with orthodontic norms and attractive Whites using Bonferroni-corrected t tests. They were also analyzed regarding age and sex effects using a two-way ANOVA test.

Results: Significant differences were found between the cephalometric measurements of attractive profiles and orthodontic norms. Among the most important parameters were greater H angle and basic upper lip thickness in attractive males, and greater facial convexity and smaller nose prominence in attractive females. Also, attractive male participants had greater soft tissue chin thickness and subnasale perpendicular to the upper lip compared with attractive females.

Conclusions: According to the results, males with a normal profile and thicker protruded upper lips were perceived as more attractive. Also, females with a slightly convex profile, deeper mentolabial sulcus, less prominent nose, and shorter maxilla and mandible were perceived as more attractive.

Keywords: Aesthetics; Attractiveness; Facial profile; Lateral cephalometric analysis; Photography.