Starting With A Smile Makeover
When a patient comes in for a smile makeover consultation, they will usually discuss their concerns regarding the teeth themselves; the position, the colour and/or the shape.
Often, by improving those three things we can enhance someone’s smile. But without looking at the overall picture and making sure everything is balanced and as close to the golden proportions as possible, we will not achieve an impactful change.
At Smile Aesthetics we offer much more than just straightening your teeth. We have to think about what encompasses and frames your smile. This includes your gums, lips, the texture of the skin around the mouth including lines & wrinkles as well as the position and proportions of your chin and jaw. When we look at your smile, we assess it from all angles including your side profile.
Common concerns that we would address as part of a smile makeover are:
Often due to the pull of the muscles used when we smile, the upper lip is pulled inwards. This can in turn cause us to show more of our upper gums and draws attention to them - more than your beautifully straightened teeth. By adding hyaluronic acid dermal filler to plump the lips, we can add shape & volume so that when we smile, the upper lip remains naturally full and plump.
Sometimes, due to the excessive pull of the muscles when we smile, the upper lip is pulled so high up that most of our upper gums are visible when smiling. Botulinum toxin injections can be used to relax this pulling effect on the muscle. This can also be combined with lip filler treatments if required.
The shape and position of our teeth support our lips and define the position of our lips. A ‘weak’ chin and jawline can mean that the position of the lower teeth will be retruded, hence causing an imbalance to the facial proportions, particularly on the side profile. Once the teeth are aligned and their position is improved, dermal filler can be added to the chin and jawline to further balance proportions and achieve a more masculine/feminine look.
We use many different muscles around our mouth when talking, smiling, eating and kissing. Over time, as our collagen levels on the skin drop and the skin becomes less elastic and plump, we tend to form lines and wrinkles that with time will become more prominent even when we are not moving or talking. These lines can create a sad, tired or more aged appearance. When you have undergone a smile makeover and the teeth look rejuvenated and healthy, if the surrounding areas look more aged, it creates an imbalance. If those lines around the mouth are already particularly prominent, such as ‘smoker’s lines’, the nose to mouth lines or the marionette lines, then the best option would be to use hyaluronic acid dermal fillers to plump the skin and fill the wrinkles.
If the lines are not very prominent, but the overall texture of the skin has become dry, dull and has lost its elasticity and glow, we would recommend our Smile Aesthetics perioral rejuvenation packages. These include a series of skin rejuvenation treatments such as chemical peels, microneedling and Profhilo, in order to strengthen the skin around the mouth (perioral), boost collagen and give it a healthy glow.
