Back

Volume 27 , Issue 4
July/August 2007
Pages 349-357

Beauty and the Teeth: Perception of Tooth Color and Its Influence on the Overall Judgment of Facial Attractiveness

Lea Hofel, Dipl Psych / Matthias Lange, DDS / Thomas Jacobsen, Dipl Psych, PhD

PMID: 17726991
DOI: 10.11607/prd.00.0755

This study investigated the influence of changes in tooth color on judgments of facial attractiveness. Standardized photographs were presented, and teeth were digitally manipulated (main categories: original, whitened, colored; filler category: impaired). Participants were instructed to evaluate the faces for attractiveness. Additionally, they were asked to name facial features they found either positive or negative with regard to attractiveness. Whitened teeth were mentioned more often in a positive way but did not improve participants’ assessment of attractiveness. A colored tooth did not attract attention, and the attractiveness judgment did not worsen. Tooth color is thus not necessarily perceived and does not have a major impact on facial attractiveness. (Int J Periodontics Restorative Dent 2007;27:349–357.)

Full Text PDF File | Order Article

 

 

Adobe Acrobat Reader is required to view PDF files. This is a free program available from the Adobe web site.
Follow the download directions on the Adobe web site to get your copy of Adobe Acrobat Reader.