Changes in Quality of Life Induced by Tooth Whitening Are Moderated by Perfectionism: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial

Purpose: To explore the influence of perfectionism on the short-term changes in satisfaction with smile esthetics and quality of life (QoL) induced by tooth whitening. Materials and Methods: A total of 60 subjects were analyzed: 30 in the active group, in which the subject's anterior teeth were whitened with a photoactivated gel, and 30 in the placebo group. The Smile Esthetics-Related Quality of Life and Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale questionnaires were administered to all participants. Results: The active group demonstrated an increase in dental self-confidence and a decrease in dissatisfaction with color (P .05). The amount of color change did not correlate linearly with change in dissatisfaction or with QoL. In subjects with higher perfectionism, increasing the color change led to more decrease in dental self-consciousness. Conclusion: Perfectionism moderates perception of smile esthetics.