Getting older is inevitable. How we age, the quality of life as we age, our level of fitness and health as well as our appearance – now that’s a different story. The signs of aging often sneak up on us – staring back at us in the mirror is someone we don’t recognize – lines in our face that we didn’t use to have, thinning and sagging skin.
Over the years, being a Dentist in Philpot Area, we have become obsessed with preventing the signs of aging – botox, filler, facelifts, skincare products — we will go to the ends of the earth to protect our youthful appearance. These changes in our face and skin are often accompanied by changes in our smile and teeth— we just don’t always notice these changes as much.
What if I told you they are related?
What if I told you that your teeth- their alignment, your occlusion (how your top and bottom teeth fit together), and clenching and grinding your teeth – are causing these changes and causing your face to age?
You see – the skin on your face is supported by your skeletal system underneath – a system of connected bones, muscles – and yep, you guessed it- your teeth! Think about a person who has dentures, but doesn’t have them in- their face looks collapsed and sunk in.
The same thing happens when the teeth are worn, crooked or lost – we see the effects on our face and skin. The volume of our face decreases, the support decreases, but all the skin is still there – hence we get wrinkles. We even see the result around our eyes, as the maxilla supports the orbit and musculature around the eye – with tooth wear, loss of support – we get wrinkles around our eyes too. ⠀⠀
As an experienced Dentist in Philpot Area, we can surely tell you that now, teeth aren’t the only things that cause aging – sun damage, changes In elasticity and our diet – all play a role- but since our teeth support so much of our facial structures- their role cannot be ignored.
Dr. Warren is highly trained in all your anti-aging dental options! Call today for a consultation to see how we can keep you and your smile youthful!