Hannibal Cosmetic Dentist | Dr. Janes

We all know that having a good smile is important to making a positive first impression. But just how important is it? A cosmetic dentistry research group wanted to find out how much effect a Smile Makeover would have on people's first impressions, so it collected a number of before and after pictures from Smile Makeovers. To avoid skewing the data, none of the subjects had visible missing teeth that were replaced with dental implants or seriously crooked teeth. Instead, the subjects underwent relatively minor cosmetic improvement with tooth whitening, dental crowns, and/or porcelain veneers.

Subjects were shown a selection of the pictures, which included either a before or after for every individual, and asked to rate the person in the picture in terms of a number of characteristics, including how attractive, popular with the opposite sex, how wealthy, and how intelligent they thought the person was. Then the average ratings for the person before and after the Smile Makeover were compared.

Some of the results were as expected. People were given substantially higher ratings for attractiveness, wealth, and popularity with the opposite sex following their Smile Makeover. People were also rated higher in terms of being friendly, interesting, and intelligent. People were even rated more kind, sensitive to other people, and happier. Even a minor procedure had a surprisingly large impact, and in every category the change was statistically significant. Another interesting finding was that women seemed to receive a bigger boost in nearly every category than men.

If you think your smile isn't all you'd like it to be, and you find that it is having a negative impact on your first impressions, perhaps cosmetic dentistry can help. Schedule a Smile Makeover consultation with Dr. Charles Janes in Hannibal, Missouri, today.