Tooth wear and Signs of Natural Dental Aging

Aging and tooth wear are normal processes that lead to the loss of vertical dimension in your face. Basically, as teeth wear and shorten, the distance between the tip of your nose and the bottom of your chin gets smaller.  This type of tooth wear and grinding throughout the first forty or fifty years of life can leave you looking older than you should with premature wrinkles.

Whiter teeth have always been associated with health and youth. Longer teeth and teeth that display translucent edges portray the “younger you” before your teeth were worn down. Studies have shown that displaying more teeth below your lip line when you speak and smile creates a happier more approachable appearance.

Visualize invigorating years off your face in less than a week. When it comes to reducing the signs of aging, aesthetic dentistry should be a top consideration. As you get older, the lower portion of your face inescapably begins to shrink. With cosmetic dentistry, we are able to drastically reduce wrinkles and return an individual’s face to a more youthful state through manipulation of tooth width and size. And, there are other health benefits. As teeth wear down over the years, the jaw can be prevented from closing correctly, causing pain. Cosmetic dentistry can improve functionality and eliminate discomfort. Patients tell us that the best part is that there’s immediate satisfaction and no extended recovery period. We can change many patients’ smile and image in just one visit, and their friends often can’t identify what the change is. They just know that our clients look beautiful and rejuvenated.

At Preston dental practice, we create smile makeovers that are individually customized to each patient based on a number of factors. For example, the shape of the patient’s face will affect the chosen shape of the teeth. If a patient has a round face, creating long, square-shaped teeth will ultimately have a slimming effect on the patient’s face. If a patient is concerned about laugh lines, they can minimize wrinkles by building-out the veneer and, as a result, the facial area above the veneer is pushed out, thereby smoothing upper lip wrinkles while causing lips to appear more full and pouty. Longer teeth are also synonymous with youth, whereas older teeth are shorter because of years of wear and tear. For a more youthful appearance, veneers are made longer creating the appearance of younger teeth. The mouth appears fuller with longer teeth as they actually push out the lower lip, reducing the appearance of wrinkles.

Another indication of age is the dark, negative space seen in the back corners of the mouth when a person smiles. To correct this, our dentists widen the width of the back teeth with ceramic veneers. This broadens the smile and imparts it with more whiteness eliminating the dark corners. Finally, teeth stain with age, and a dingy smile can add years to ones face. The colour of the teeth corresponds with the age of the patient – the younger the whiter. Skin tones can also influence the shade selection of the veneers. Thus, by placing a natural looking, whiter veneer over discoloured teeth the face is brightened creating a more youthful appearance.

Preston dentist can offer you guidance and advice as to which colour and shape would complement your facial features the best but ultimately the decision is all yours.  Some patients want a totally natural and subtle look while others are trying to achieve a brighter and more impactful smile.