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Everyone has that one friend who just never seems to age—you know who I’m talking about. Lip fillers? No. Botox? No. So, what’s their secret? Chances are, they’ve had some dental work done.
Your teeth are more useful than just grinding your food. They’re the hidden structures that help support your lips and define the shape of your lower face, giving you that fuller, younger look. As we get older and grind our teeth, our teeth get shorter, which can lead to facial collapse.
Why It Happens
Yes, getting older has its perks; however, it also means that we begin to look different as our faces lose volume in both soft and hard tissues—and that includes our teeth. Since they support the cheeks and the lips, the decreased volume of our teeth directly affects the overall look of our face, such as the lips starting to curl in and the skin appearing more wrinkled.This happens because, over time, our teeth become shorter and flatter, making the face appear shorter as well.
Shorter teeth also result in a collapsed bite, giving a sunken, hollow, and overall aged look. Missing teeth may also contribute to the shortening of the face. The other teeth may move to fill in the gaps, causing the top and bottom teeth to misalign, creating a deeper bite and, once again, a shorter face.
Dr. Edher, a Prosthodontist and specialist in reconstructive and cosmetic dentistry, says that the majority of people do not seek treatment early enough. “If destructive habits or wear are detected and treated early on, this leads to much more conservative treatment that can preserve much more of your natural tooth structure.”
What To Do About It
Since facial collapse is attributed to teeth wearing down and becoming shorter, increasing the vertical dimension of your bite becomes essential. This can be done using crowns or veneers. Not only will this reconstruct the bite to regain ideal facial proportion, but it will allow for a beautiful smile by improving the shape and colour of the teeth. It’s crucial to find a specialist who has the experience and skill set to meticulously recreate your smile accounting for aesthetics and function.
So, maybe Becky from high school did get some fillers to shave a few years off her face, but they just didn’t do the trick. She probably saw a cosmetic and reconstructive dental specialist to learn if dental work could help give her the look she was missing. Although altering your teeth can’t completely get rid of the wrinkles on your skin (if that’s what you’re looking for), smile makeovers can do wonders for achieving a beautiful, more youthful smile and providing a fuller look to the face.
There are a lot of options out there, so consider consulting a specialist in cosmetic and reconstructive dentistry like Dr. Faraj Edher for professional help in achieving the look you want. To schedule an appointment, contact us online or dial (604) 670-8005.