2010 Interdisciplinary Meeting - Racial and Ethnic Differences in Facial Morphology and Preferences in Facial Beauty / Arch Form and Buccal Corridors

Racial and Ethnic Differences in Facial Morphology and Preferences in Facial Beauty

Facial beauty has been argued to be a static feature in western civilization with ideal features established by artists grounded in neoclassical fundamentals. This theory has been disputed in recent decades as a Caucasian-oriented society has changed to one that is now multi-ethnic. Racial differences in dentofacial morphology as well as preferences in facial beauty will be discussed with attention to how these preferences have changed over time.

Learning Objectives:

• Understand how standards of facial beauty have changed over the past century
• Understand how standards of beauty may vary based on race and gender
  

Arch Form and Buccal Corridors

Our patients often pursue treatment primarily to improve the esthetics of their smile and we as orthodontists hope to accomplish this while managing their malocclusion. But can we accomplish this change without specific esthetic objectives in mind? Media celebrities can influence the patients perception of an esthetic smile, which is descried to us as a broad smile. We are solicited by manufacturers to treat patients with broadened arch wires to meet the patients desires and provide non-extraction treatment in order to develop the broad arch form necessary for enhanced esthetics. But do we really know if patients desire a broad arch form without buccal corridors? Will broadening the arch actually improve the esthetics of the smile? What do we know about the stability of arch expansion? Are we actually providing a protocol for long-tem success both esthetically and functionally when we ignore the patients pre-existing arch form? Do broad arch forms make a difference esthetically to the patient and/or to the orthodontist and remain stable over time? These are the issues that Dr. Knight will discuss

Learning Objectives:

• Describe the literature as it pertains to the esthetics of a broad arch form
• Identify the significance of the buccal corridor to the patient and orthodontist
• Review the long-term consequences of expansion