Sort Your Teeth Out Before Having A Face Lift

Media Release
Date: 15th April 2009

Sort Your Teeth Out Before Having A Face Lift

New Zealanders considering anti-aging treatments should look to cosmetic dentistry before resorting to collagen fillers or surgery, according to a leading Auckland cosmetic dentist.

Dr Andrea Shepperson of Lumino The Dentists City Dental at Quay Park says that: `dental implants, bridges and bite reconstruction can be as effective as a face lift in restoring support to the lower face. There are such a lot of simple things that can be done to restore a youthful look before having plastic surgery.

Dr Shepperson explained that in many cases wear, poorly contoured fillings or loss of teeth can create facial collapse, leading to deepening lines and wrinkles and sometimes discomfort: ‘The teeth should show slightly when the lips are at rest. Having no top teeth visible in the smile is very aging. Teeth get shorter through normal wear and tear, grinding and chipping. Restoring a smile can create a powerful sense of rejuvenation.’

She adds: `We have helped many patients gain self confidence by restoring what nature gave in youth and has taken away through wear and tear without the need for collagen fillers or plastic surgery.’

By focussing on the smile zone – the part of the face from the tip of the nose to the base of the chin - cosmetic dentists can provide excellent support for the lower face using a variety of modern techniques.

Dr Shepperson advises five anti aging strategies to maintain a youthful smile:
1) Tooth whitening is a safe and simple way to lift your smile and add vitality. It can be done at the dentists or with a take-home treatment.
2) Professional gum care can minimise that long in the tooth look by removal of bacteria which also decreases your chance of tooth loss later in life.

3) Eliminate big amalgam fillings and protect your teeth with a porcelain covering, minimising the chance of losing them through structural failure.
4) Fill in any gaps with implants or bridges to maintain a good bite and a youthful look.
5) Enrol in a risk management programme at your dentists and keep decay at bay. There’s no reason why your teeth shouldn’t outlive you.
Andrea Shepperson is Lead Dentist at Lumino The Dentists City Dental at Quay Park, Auckland. Her clinical focus is advanced restorative and cosmetic dentistry. She has been a member of the American Academy of Cosmetic dentistry since 1997. She is also a member of the New Zealand Dental Association and a Director of the New Zealand Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry. In 2007, she became the first New Zealand dentist to lecture to the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry.

Visit Dr Shepperson at www.citydental.co.nz
To find out more about Lumino The Dentists, visit www.lumino.co.nz
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