What Is Beauty?

The document discusses the subjective nature of beauty, emphasizing that it is a perception of appearance that varies among individuals and cultures. It notes that what is considered beautiful can change over time, as seen in the evolving preferences for facial features like the shape of the nose in America. The text acknowledges that while doctors do not rely on romantic notions to define beauty, they do use norms, ratios, and scientific methods to understand it, much like Leonardo da Vinci did with the Vitruvian Man. The document also mentions the halo effect, where attractive people are often assumed to have more positive attributes, and its opposite, where less attractive individuals may receive negative judgments. It highlights that certain aspects of facial attractiveness, such as symmetry, proportion, and placement of features, are universally recognized, even by infants. The chapter introduces a text that covers the cosmesis of the mouth, face, and jaws, contributed to by specialists from various fields, including cosmetic dentistry, dermatology, and plastic surgery, among others. The text aims to serve as a resource for students and practitioners in dentistry and medicine to enhance their skills in improving facial aesthetics.