A Guide to the Perfect Wedding Day Smile - Dental & Facial Aesthetics
Facial Aesthetics
Improve your smile in 1 year - using anti-wrinkle injections and dermal fillers.
With all eyes on you on your big day, you naturally want to look as good as possible. One way of ensuring this is to consider anti-wrinkle injections and dermal fillers, if these are planned and used correctly by an experienced and qualified professional. These treatments can restore, refresh, and enhance your look, without making you look fake and “done”.
These treatments can be used around the mouth region to improve your smile. Anti-wrinkle injections or dermal fillers can be used on their own, or in combination to achieve the best results possible.
Some examples are these:
Smokers’ lines - The small vertical lines that can form above the upper lip – are formed from puckering, hence why these can be more pronounced in smokers/ex-smokers. A small amount of anti-wrinkle injectables strategically placed in this area can reduce these fine lines. This can also increase the upper lip volume a little; for deeper lines, filler may also be required.
“Gummy smile” - If you have a lovely, big smile but feel you show too much upper gum when you smile, this treatment could be for you. This can be reduced with a small amount of anti-wrinkle injectables, strategically placed to reduce the pull of the upper lip. You will still have your lovely big smile, but with less gum on show.
Marionette lines - These form at the corners of the mouth, often causing a slight downward appearance of the lips. A small amount of anti-wrinkle injectables can be used here, often in combination with dermal filler, to erase these lines and create a more even smile, moving it from being downturned to straight or slightly upturned.
Nasolabial folds - These run from the corners of the nose to just beyond the corners of the lips. This area can become deep as changes within the facial structure occur, and the shadow from the cheek above can exaggerate these lines. Dermal filler can flatten the fold, creating less of a crease and therefore less of a shadow.
Chin - If you have a prominent crease on your chin, filler can erase it. If you have a “pebbly” chin, anti-wrinkle injectables can remove this appearance.
Lip augmentation - A filler can be used in the lips to define the outline, increase their volume, or both. This is particularly good for people who “lose” their upper lip when they smile. If done correctly, the result should be a subtle enhancement, rather than an obvious change.
It is important to know that anti-wrinkle injections take approximately 2 weeks to achieve full effect, and the results last for approximately 3-4 months. The results with dermal fillers are instant and can last between 6 and 12 months.
Read More About Facial Aesthetics at The Implant Centre
Improving your smile in 1 year - Dental
The first thing you should do is make sure you’ve got the basics under control: use an electric toothbrush, brush twice a day, floss once a day, don’t smoke, and drink plenty of water. Then you can think about what it is you would like to change about your smile. Do you want to straighten your teeth or just improve their colour and appearance?
If you want straighter teeth, then you will most likely need some sort of brace. Invisalign is a great way to straighten your teeth if you want braces that are clear and discreet, but these normally require over a year before treatment is completed. If you’d like a quicker solution to straighten your teeth, this can be achieved by using ‘train track’ like braces, which are available in tooth-coloured versions (such as Six Month Smiles), which are less ‘Ugly Betty.’ These systems can straighten teeth in 6–9 months.
Another way to have straighter teeth is with veneers. These are similar to artificial nails, with a layer of porcelain on the front of the teeth. These allow the teeth to have a better position (to an extent), shape, and colour, but either bulk the teeth forward or require the removal of some tooth structure. Veneers can be a great way to improve the overall appearance of your mouth, but be aware that they are likely to need replacing over a lifetime.
Tooth whitening is another effective way to improve the appearance of a smile, and additionally does not cause any damage to the teeth. If whitening is something you are interested in, you should visit your dentist to get some advice before having the whitening carried out professionally. Be aware that whitening will not change the colour of any existing filings or crowns, so any prominent work may need replacing after. Another benefit of modern whitening systems, such as Enlighten, is that they do not require a ‘white diet’ (e.g., avoiding coffee, red wine, etc.) and cause only minimal sensitivity. If whitening is not possible, even a scale and polish from a hygienist can often refresh a tired set of teeth.
If you have missing teeth that you would like to replace before your special day, you should seek advice early, as replacing teeth can be a lengthy process. Usually, the best way to replace a missing tooth is with an implant, although bridges can also be suitable to replace teeth in certain situations, and even a denture can provide a way to fill gaps. Implants can take up to 6 months or more to complete, so make sure to discuss this with your dentist as soon as you can to allow time for planning and treatment.
So that you are not in a rush with treatment, adding further stress in the run-up to your special day, make sure you start planning your smile by talking to your dentist or another dental professional as soon as possible.