Anti-age dentistry is a modern direction that allows you to restore health and beauty to your teeth, and youth to your face. Only a few sessions at the dentist, and wrinkles on the neck and around the mouth will be less noticeable, and the oval of the face will also tighten. Details were told by the head physician of the dental clinic Swiss Smile Stanislav Wafin.
Stanislav, tell us what “dental” causes wrinkles?
This problem is primarily associated with a decrease in the height of the bite. When a person reaches the age of 18–20 years, the upper third of the face is equal to the middle and, accordingly, lower. Over time, as a result of malocclusion, bad habits or lack of adequate treatment and care, tooth enamel begins to wear out. Everything happens quickly enough – on average, every 10 years we lose 1 mm of tooth height. This leads to a decrease in the height of the lower part of the face, and, as a result, the soft tissues of the face begin to sag, forming folds.
Can the patient himself notice that the teeth have been erased? Are there any symptoms?
Erased teeth will not necessarily hurt. Sometimes patients complain of what they think is toothache or discomfort in the jaw. With a decrease in the height of the bite, the masticatory muscles of the face begin to experience constant tension. This can cause discomfort or pain. In addition, due to a decrease in the height of the bite, the lower jaw moves slightly back, and the articular heads begin to put pressure on the ear canals. As a result, congestion in the ears, pain in the occipital region and even in the back may appear. All this passes with the return of the original bite.
At what age should I see a doctor to restore tooth height?
In my practice, there were patients who, even at the age of 60, had practically no worn teeth. This is possible if the person initially has the correct bite. I recommend paying attention to tooth wear at the age of about 35 years. If everything is fine and nothing is erased, then you can continue to live on, if there are violations, then the doctor will select the treatment.
Is enamel abrasion prevention possible?
Sure! When the child is 18 years old, parents should take him to the dentist, who will find out if there are problems with a bite. This is the age when bone tissue has not yet fully formed and the teeth can be relatively easily put into the correct positions, for example, using the bracket system. In addition, some people with the right bite grit their teeth at night, for example, due to stress. For such patients, we recommend special night mouth guards that prevent enamel erasure.
How long does it take from a patient to see a result?
If this is only recovery, then a few weeks. First, a study is conducted, during which the correct position of the lower jaw and its correct height relative to the upper one are determined. After that, the face and jaw are scanned, the prints are taken. Then, with the help of a special program, the type of future teeth is modeled and the size of each ceramic lining is calculated, after which their production begins. Then the doctor sticks them. This is the most difficult stage, it takes several hours.
Why is ceramics used?
It’s all about the hardness of the materials. This material has a hardness similar to and even exceeding the hardness of natural enamel. Composites have much lower hardness, which means they are very short-lived.
Can such a procedure really replace a visit to a cosmetologist?
This is not entirely true. However, a good beautician should consult with a dentist about whether it is possible to return the original bite in order to use fewer fillers to fill in wrinkles, and was able to focus on other areas.