Taking Years OFF YOUR SMILE |Dr Isabelle SCHWARTZ

Written by Docteur Isabelle-Sabine SCHWARTZ pour Anti-âge Magazine

Improving sensuality

The face can be viewed in three separate parts: the top third, the forehead, is associated with the brain; the middle third, from the brow to just below the nose, is associated with the emotions; and the lower third, from the base of the nose to the tip of the chin, is associated with sensuality. Our job is to work on this lower part, both with regards to health and aesthetics.

Problems relating to colour

Antibiotic treatments might give the tooth’s enamel a purpli- sh-blue or brown tint. There are only two possible solutions to this: either fitting ceramic veneers if the discolouration is not too severe, or fitting a full ceramic crown if the discolou- ration cannot be hidden by a veneer. Veneers are extremely thin cosmetic solutions that are only 0.3 to 0.5mm thick and are fairly transparent.

Dull brownish or yellow teeth that do not present any cracksor fissures can be lightened using a whitening treatment. This walk-in treatment uses a thermoformed mouthpiece, which makes the treatment more effective and the results more long-lasting. The patient must refrain from consuming any solid or liquid food colouring, tobacco or tea during the course of the treatment.

Problems relating to shape, volume and size

As we age, our teeth become worn, shortened, thinner, darker and more yellow, the lower part of the face becomes sunken and the facial furrows deepen.

After a clinical assessment, we must determine the exact shape, volume and size of the new teeth in order to counteract sagging in the lower part of the face. The new height of the vertical occlusion (between the upper and lower jawbone) will lift the corners of the lips and thus diminish the appearance of marionette lines.

A lighter tooth colour is chosen to fit in with the patient’s skin tone and style. The teeth become dazzling and bright.
The problem is different for younger patients. There is no sag- ging to be corrected in the lower part of the face, but instead we need to restore the face’s harmony and enhance its beauty. The pre-prosthetic clinical assessment is just as thorough as for older patients, and we may associate surgery on the gums with the cosmetic dental prosthetics in order to achieve a more attractive result.

Problems relating to tooth position

Orthodontics is the ideal technique for realigning, rotating or moving teeth, but no orthodontic procedures can change the shape, volume or colour of the teeth.

In order to be effective, force must be applied to the teeth and so the treatment is carried out over a long period of time. Many adults who do not have the patience to wait prefer to have cosmetic dental prosthetics fitted, as these change the way their teeth look more rapidly.

We must, however, warn patients that having prosthetics fitted alters the initial state of the tooth and thus affects its integrity. There are various different prosthetics to choose from: veneers, crowns, bridges and implants. The choice is made according to the different clinical and financial factors involved in the case concerned.

In the case of slight misalignment, we can use a new procedure to stick veneers directly onto the teeth with minimum filing: a technique which is faster and less invasive but limited to highly specific clinical cases.

Problems relating to missing teeth

We can add teeth, fill in gaps, plump up the cheeks, support the lips and change the patient’s profile thanks to bridge prosthe- tics or implants, which may or may not require prior surgery to increase bone volume, given that bone is what supports the titanium “roots” (implants) to which ceramic crowns or bridges are screwed.

All of these techniques (whitening, veneers, crowns, bridges and implants) enable us to restore our patients’ mouths to their former glory, change their smile or their expression, and thus make them more radiant and youthful-looking with a whiter, more dazzling and more sensual smile. Their smile portrays cleanliness, good health and healthy living.

In order to optimise the aesthetic result, we associate these dental treatments with the plumping of the surrounding soft tissue (lips, nasolabial folds and marionette lines) using hyalu- ronic acid injections. We reshape the mouth, increase the lips’ volume and alter their texture through hydration.

Learn more about Dr Isabelle SCHWARTZ

Dental surgeon, former assistant at the Universities (Paris 7), Certificate of Specialist Studies in Anthropology, thesis “De la beauté du visage, de la beauté de la denture” (Beauty of the face, beauty of the teeth), training in periodontology, diploma in Surgical and Prosthetic Implantology, former expert for the Paris Court of Appeals. Publications: Toutes les questions au dentiste spécial enfants from Hachette; articles in Vogue, Elle, Marie-Claire, Parents magazines. ADF conferences, Congress at the faculty of Garancière. Television programmes: Journal de la Santé, Envoyé Spécial, Télématin, Santé et Vie FR3, and on Europe 1, RTL and RMC radio stations.