Laypeople and dental professionals' perception of the aesthetic outcome of two treatments for missing lateral incisors

OBJECTIVE: To investigate laypeople and dental professionals' opinions of the aesthetic outcome from implant therapy (IT) and orthodontic space closure (SC) for missing maxillary lateral incisors. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Evaluation was performed by three groups: laypeople 20–30 years of age (n = 26), laypeople 50–70 years of age (n = 26) and orthodontists (n = 25). The assessors viewed photographs of 44 different cases treated with IT or SC, and made an evaluation of the aesthetics. RESULTS: The gingival color adjacent to the replaced tooth was rated as having better aesthetics in the SC cases (p = 0.000). The orthodontists preferred the aesthetics of the dentition in the SC cases (p = 0.042). The young laypeople, compared to the older laypeople and orthodontists, were more dissatisfied with the color of the tooth replacing the missing lateral incisor in SC cases (p = 0.043). CONCLUSION: The color of the gingiva adjacent to the implant‐supported crowns had a lower aesthetic rating than the SC group. Laypeople rated both treatments as equally good. The orthodontists had a slight preference for the aesthetics in the SC cases.