As you age, it becomes more and more difficult to hold back the inevitable effects of time on your appearance. Wrinkles begin to appear around your mouth, under your eyes, and on your forehead. In an age where appearance is paramount to popularity and success, these effects of ageing can be damaging.
That is why in 2012, Americans spent $261.9 billion on anti-ageing products. It's an expensive endeavour, keeping wrinkles at bay.
However, dentistry can also play a part in helping you achieve a more youthful and vibrant look. Here are three dental treatments to help you keep those lines at bay.
Dental Implants for Missing Teeth
Missing teeth causes wrinkles by activating a natural process that literally shrinks your face. When you lose teeth, a natural process called "resorption" begins, and in this process, your jawbone in the area where the tooth was lost is absorbed by your body. This happens because the area is no longer stimulated by a chewing force, and this signals the body that the bone in that area is no longer necessary.
This shrinkage causes your jawbone to shrink, bringing your mouth and nose closer together. The result is that you eventually appear much older than you might be, and the wrinkles around your mouth worsen.
However, dental implants can rectify this situation. Constructed of biocompatible titanium, dental implants range in size from 3.5mm to 4.2mm, and once successfully integrated with your jawbone, will help you chew normally. In turn, the natural chewing force will stimulate bone growth, thus eventually returning your bone structure to something resembling its former appearance. Minus the sunken features caused by bone loss, the wrinkles around your mouth and nose will lessen, giving you back your youthfulness and confidence.
Be aware, however, that the whole process can take many months to complete, and you may need bone grafting if you lack the necessary bone in which to place the implants.
However, it should take approximately 3–7 months without bone grafting or 7–15 months with to complete the whole process.
Veneers to Boost the Fullness of Your Smile
As you age, your skin begins to lose its ability to snap back into position when moved. Coupled with the effects of gravity and jawbone shrinkage, this can leave you with deep lines around your lips, mouth and nose.
Veneers, which are made from tooth-coloured ceramic, are thin shells that fit over teeth, improving their appearance and giving you a plumper and fuller smile.
The added stability and lift that veneers give to your teeth affects your entire mouth. Your lips will appear fuller and lip lines will decrease, and any sagging around the corners of your mouth will be reduced.
Overall, the effect on your appearance and confidence can revitalise your relationships and bring you more happiness.
The whole process can take from 1–2 weeks, but bear in mind that your cosmetic dentist will need to remove up to 1mm of tooth enamel from your teeth to ensure the veneers fit snugly.
Wrinkle Relaxers to Remove or Soften Lines
This is the simplest and fastest form of treatment because the entire process can be completed in one visit that takes from 5–10 minutes to complete.
Wrinkle relaxers, which are also called neuromodulators, block the nerve impulses that cause a muscle to contract. Once a dentist injects any wrinkled areas of your face with a wrinkle relaxer, the muscles will be more relaxed for approximately 3–4 months, after which you can opt to have the treatment repeated.
If you want to do something about the wrinkles that cause you to feel older than you really are, talk to your dentist about the possibilities. Work out which option is suitable for you in the long run both financially and personally. Whichever treatment you choose, you can be sure that your confidence will receive a substantial boost.
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