Face-lifts, surgeries and needles may soon be old news in the field of anti-aging.
Instead, doctors are beginning to use nonsurgical dental procedures to reduce signs of age in an area of the face known as the "smile zone." The smile zone refers to the area of the lower face around the nose and mouth. It extends from ear to ear and between the tip of the nose and the base of the chin. When aging occurs, these areas lose elasticity and their appearance of plumpness, causing the face to sag and appear older.
According to Dr. Irwin Smigel, founder of the American Society for Dental Aesthetics, bonding, laminates, crowns, implants, fixed bridgework and even dentures can be used to selectively build out the "infrastructure" or framework of the lower face, making faces appear younger.
"The procedure lets us fill out a narrow or 'sagging' face. Doing so lends definition to a fuller face, eliminates naso-labial lines, accentuates cheekbones, defines the chin, augments the lips and even lifts the tip of the nose," explains Dr. Smigel.
The Future of Aging
Dr. Smigel, who is widely credited with originating cosmetic dental bonding, sees dental procedures playing larger roles in the anti-aging process well into the future-especially as patients grow more weary of expensive or painful surgeries and injections. "Aesthetic dentistry offers options that are quicker, safer and much less invasive than plastic surgery-with results that are really quite extraordinary," Dr. Smigel says. "And once a smile zone is rehabilitated, maintaining proper dental health, and perhaps the judicious attentions of a credible dermatologist, are the only issues that may ever again need be addressed by the patient."
Another common sign of aging is teeth yellowing and staining. Professional whitening procedures followed by a safe, effective, at-home program can also give you a more youthful appearance. When it comes to purchasing over-the-counter whitening products, Dr. Smigel recommends that consumers look for companies such as Supersmile that consider safety and overall oral care first. Some products, particularly if not used properly, can lead to tooth enamel damage.
Bonding, laminates, crowns, implants, fixed bridgework and even dentures can be used to selectively build out the "infrastructure" or framework of the lower face, making faces appear younger.
