How A Cosmetic Dentist Can Help You Correct Sagging Skin And Wrinkles

Dentist Blog

When you think of cosmetic procedures that help skin, you may think of dermatology or plastic surgery. Believe it or not, a cosmetic dentist can actually help you with some of your skin problems. Here are three procedures you may want to look into.

Non-Surgical Face Lift

This type of procedure is especially effective for people who suffer from temporomandibular joint (TMJ) dysfunction. During a non-surgical facelift, your dentist will re-align your bite and use appliances to plump up your cheeks. Non-surgical facelifts not only reduce the appearance of fine lines, but they can correct biomechanical issues—like TMJ symptoms (muscle tension, headaches, bruxism, etc.).

How does a non-surgical facelift work? Every dental practice is different, but your dentist will likely construct a dental appliance—like a plastic retainer—that you can wear most of the day to strengthen and plump up cheek muscles. If you have a collapsed bite from bruxism, then your dentist may place crowns or other bonding on teeth to increase jaw height, which in turn can reduce lines from sunken-in skin.

Ideally, a non-surgical facelift will correct biomechanical issues and improve the underlying bone, muscle, and tooth structure so that the appearance of wrinkles is reduced.

Botox Injections

Cosmetic dentists use Botox injections to improve symptoms and surgical outcomes for people with

  • pathologic clenching

  • mandibular spasms

  • gummy smiles

  • masseter hypertrophy

  • bruxism

  • dystonia

  • the need for implants and jaw surgery

Because Botox relaxes muscles, you'll have the added bonus of seeing the reduction of fine lines and wrinkles on your face. Even if you don't have one of the previously mentioned issues, your cosmetic dentist may still be willing to use Botox applications to improve your skin's appearance.

PDO Threads

Polydioxanone (PDO) treads are medical-grade threads that are made of protein. During a PDO thread procedure, your dentist can place these threads into your skin like sutures, which then pull back sagging skin. Your skin will absorb the sutures, so there is no need to have them removed. The threads improve circulation and create an inflammatory response, encouraging your skin to tighten and produce more collagen (a protein that helps your skin look young and retain plasticity). Because PDO threads are thinner than human hair, you shouldn't see any types of scar tissue where the sutures are placed. PDO threads have long-lasting results, and this treatment can be a good option if you don't have any biomechanical issues that need to be fixed with non-surgical face lifts.

Reach out to a cosmetic dentist in your area today to learn more about these procedures.

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27 August 2020

To Tell the Tooth: A Dental Blog

Do you care for your teeth like you should? Most people brush their teeth, but so many people rush through this process and are not as careful as they should be. Still others avoid flossing. A lack of dental care over the years can lead to increased decay. Thankfully, we have dentists who can treat decay with fillings, crowns, and in some cases, root canals. Dentists also provide preventative care. They can clean your teeth and use things like fluoride treatments to strengthen your enamel. The more you know about dental care, the better you'll be able to care for your mouth, so feel free to read some of the articles on this website.