Perception of orbital epitheses evaluated with eye tracker

Abstract

Purpose Orbital epitheses replace a missing eyeball and surrounding soft tissue. Perception of epithesis in public gaze and the attention areas on the face are of interest. This study aimed to examine the differences in perception of orbital epitheses by prosthodontists, dentistry students, and laypeople with an objective evaluation tool that utilized eye‐tracking technology. Materials and methods Twenty‐four frontal facial images of 12 patients who had orbital epitheses were viewed by 81 observers (prosthodontists, dentistry students, laypeople) in random order for 5 seconds each. Gaze data were analyzed. Kruskal‐Wallis H test with Bonferroni correction was used to compare parameters in groups and areas of interest. Results First fixation duration at the mouth for symmetrical images were 0.30, 0.28, and 0.25 seconds for prosthodontists, students, and laypeople, respectively. Fixation duration at the mouth for the laypeople (0.27 second) was shorter than students (0.29 second) and prosthodontists (0.31 second) at symmetrical images. Time to the first fixation to epithesis, nose, and eye was significantly lower than the forehead and mouth for all groups. Fixation count at epithesis was 6.36 for prosthodontists, 5.64 for students, and 5.34 for laypeople. Conclusion Eyes were of most significant interest for all observer groups in symmetrical images. Individuals dealing with dentistry, especially prosthodontists, paid more attention to the mouth region along with the eyes in symmetrical images, considering fixation duration and fixation count. Attention directed to epithesis by all groups was verified with objective and measurable criteria. Prosthodontists’ attention to epithesis and mouth was evident considering the four parameters measured.

The Use of Eye-Tracking Technology in Dento-Maxillofacial Esthetics: A Systematic Review

“…Eye tracking can be used to analyze one's perception and attention by monitoring eye movements to yield objective qualitative and quantitative data, such as eye movements, the location of the observer's viewpoint, and the duration of the fixation on each location. 33,34 Second, eye tracking can help patients to evaluate objectively the social aspects of their dento-maxillofacial deformities before treatment or to compare their deformities with those of healthy individuals without the condition. This application of eye tracking makes it a useful tool for counseling persons with disfigurements to determine whether the patient's defect is visually distracting in the first place, quantify this distraction, and illustrate the necessity to improve or normalize an observer's perception of the corresponding area.…”

“…47 Some studies have focused on whether there are significant differences in the ways that different classes of observers perceive changes in facial profiles or malocclusions. Basmacı et al 33 found that prosthodontists paid more attention to the mouth and eye regions in symmetrical images than laypeople did. Fujii et al 48 found that the durations of eye fixation on the nose tip and upper lip in a dental-education group were longer than the durations observed in a nodental-education group while perceiving facial profile images.…”

“…First, it is a method that provides information about unconscious reactions, resulting in emotional and cognitive behaviors, which cannot be obtained from surveys. Eye tracking can be used to analyze one’s perception and attention by monitoring eye movements to yield objective qualitative and quantitative data, such as eye movements, the location of the observer’s viewpoint, and the duration of the fixation on each location 33,34 . Second, eye tracking can help patients to evaluate objectively the social aspects of their dento-maxillofacial deformities before treatment or to compare their deformities with those of healthy individuals without the condition.…”