VARIATION OF DENTAL PROPORTIONS AND ITS IMPACT ON THE PERCEPTION OF SMILE AESTHETICS: A LITERATURE REVIEW

Abstract

Introduction: The aesthetics of the anterior sector of the maxilla is governed by classic guidelines, such as the Golden Ratio, but it highlights that the perception of beauty transcends rigid mathematical formulas. The advancement of digital technologies has allowed new forms of planning, however, the debate persists about which criterion is most effective for different populations and how cultural factors influence aesthetic judgment. Objective: To identify, through a literature review, the impact of variations in dental proportions on aesthetic perception, comparing the rigorous assessment of dental surgeons with the subjective perception of lay individuals. The aim is to analyze how changes in width and height influence facial attractiveness and the harmony of the dentofacial set. Methodology: It consisted of a systematic bibliographic survey in the SciELO, PubMed and VHL (LILACS and MEDLINE) databases. The time frame comprised publications between 2020 and 2026, using specific descriptors such as "Golden Proportion", "Smile Aesthetics" and "RED Proportion". Open access articles that addressed mathematical models and visual perception were selected, analyzed by two independent reviewers to ensure data reliability. Results: demonstrate that, although the Golden Ratio is a historical reference, it is rarely found in pure form in natural dentition. Studies in different ethnicities suggest that the RED Proportion (Recurrent Esthetic Dental Proportion) offers greater clinical flexibility and better aesthetic acceptance by respecting individual facial architecture. A significant disparity in perception was noted: dentists are more technically critical and detect millimetric deviations, while laypeople prioritize "naturalness" and are more tolerant of small variations. Discussion: The use of tools such as Digital Smile Design (DSD) proved to be essential to align these divergent expectations, functioning as a communication bridge between the professional and the patient. Furthermore, it became clear that aesthetics does not depend only on the teeth, but on their integration with the midline and facial soft tissues.m. Conclusion: Smile harmony is multifactorial and should not be imposed by universal metrics. It is concluded that aesthetic planning must be individualized and humanized, using technical parameters as a starting point, but adapting them to the patient's ethnic characteristics and subjective desires to achieve a functional and aesthetically satisfactory result.