Abstract
Objective: This study investigates the perception of facial aesthetics and the attractiveness of the smile, with associated malocclusions and lip piercing, via eye tracking. Methods: In the frontal images of the smiling faces of a male and a female, the teeth were altered by adding the IOTN grades 1, 5, and 8, in conjunction with a "ball" type piercing located in the upper left lip. The images were evaluated by 96 laypeople aged 18 to 76 years old and divided into young adults, middle-aged adults, and elderly people. Two software programs, OGAMA, and The Eye Tribe Tracker®, were used together. A visual analog scale (VAS) was applied with a questionnaire surveying individuals' perceived employability, honesty, intelligence, and ability to meet obligations. Kruskal-Wallis and one-way ANOVA tests were applied (p<0,05). Results: There was no difference in the ANOVA test for assessing AOI at the first fixation of the gaze or in the fixation time, regardless of the age or sex of the raters. The presence of a piercing does not cause an initial focus on the piercing area. Images with IOTN grade 1 showed more attractiveness than IOTN grades 5 and 8 for both genders. “Employability”, “intelligence”, and “meets the obligations” influence VAS response. Conclusions: Piercing did not obscure the malocclusion. Young adults consider people with aligned teeth more intelligent and have a greater chance of finding a job than middle-aged and elder adults, independent of the presence of piercings.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.56238/devopinterscie-169