The Smile Lift that Prevents Signs of Aging - @doctorapa Top Tips from Aesthetic Expert Dr. Apa

Dentistry can work in harmony with cosmetic surgery to not only improve your smile but your facial features too. The “Smile Lift” changes the teeth to a more favorable position, thereby giving support to the upper lip and lower face giving a more youthful appearance.

The facial aging process happens because the skin loses elastin and collagen, creating wrinkles and folds which ultimately lead to sagging. The face loses its ‘baby fat’, most notably cheek fat, which lends to a “hollowing” of the face. In addition to this the teeth shift, wear down, and some may even need to be taken out.

Dr. Michael Apa says, “The best example of the effect teeth have on your face is people that wear dentures. They will find that when they remove them their entire area around the mouth caves in. Equally when they are put back in they are given facial support to the lips, the corners of the mouth and the cheeks which lifts the lower half of the face.”

The aging process for teeth happens as follows:

·         20s - The shifting of the lower teeth puts new pressure on the upper four teeth

·         30s – Notice wear on our teeth

·         40s – Receding Gums

·         50s – Sides of your smile begin to narrow

A lot of people ask what should come first - the dentistry or the plastic/aesthetic surgery. Dr. Apa would recommended that dentistry should come first as it’s the “foundation” layer to your face. It’s the hard structure by which the skin of the lower third of the face is supported. By building the hard structure back first you are supporting the falling skin and tissue, which allows the dermatologist to inject less and the plastic surgeon to stretch less. Any time cosmetic surgery is done in small increments the results will always look more natural.

Dr. Apa will always create a “trial smile” for his patients to find the ideal 3D look and shape of the smile. It’s important to support the soft tissue while showing the proper amount of teeth. This can be created directly over a patient’s original teeth with no drilling at all. Once the patient has had time to wear the “trial smile” and give feedback, it can be finished with veneers. Often no anesthesia or drilling is required because the veneers are placed directly over the teeth, thereby adding volume back to the teeth while supporting the lower third of the face. This is also a better way of creating a natural fuller lip as the teeth support the lips rather than injecting the lip to sit over the teeth.

For further tips from Dr. Apa visit www.askdrapa.com 

Dr. Apa will be in Dubai 19 – 22 October.