Alleviating Pain with Cosmetic Treatments
by Dr. Alex Fibishenko
The effects of aging on the body are varied, yet quite distinct on one’s facial appearance.
Have you ever noticed the creases that appear on the face, the deepening of folds at the sides of the nose, down turning of the corners of the lips and the appearance of Marionette lines either side of the chin. These changes are not only due to the natural ageing process and loss of facial tissue volume, but often also relate to the loss of teeth – especially molar teeth in the back of the mouth, the wearing down of teeth through natural attrition or tooth grinding and clenching.
The dental changes with ageing result in the reduction in the vertical dimension of the bite leading to the collapse of the lower face. Over time it is common to see people’s chins come closer and closer to their nose (see diagram) and lips becoming thinner and sometimes disappearing ‘inside the mouth’ as these changes take place.
Injectable medicines and dermal fillers have been used for many years in the treatment of wrinkles to reduce the visible signs of ageing. But as the wrinkles and folds that are natural with ageing become even more exaggerated with changes in the dentition, for more effective and lasting results, it is important to also address dental attrition and loss of teeth so as to resurrect the correct height of the lower face.
Occasionally, the wear of the teeth and loss of lower facial height leads to jaw joint problems and pain in the jaws and surrounding structures as the body tries to cope. Dentofacial pain and pain about the head, neck and shoulder region that mimic ‘migraine’ pain is also common in some people undergoing these aging transformations.
In order to avoid, treat or manage many related problems it is important to have a good understanding of these processes as well as techniques to correct them. We remedy the aging process in a holistic and multifaceted approach.
Correcting the problem of ‘facial height loss’ can be done with dental rehabilitation techniques such as building up worn down teeth, replacing missing back teeth with implanted teeth, or if the teeth are in a fragile and in a hopeless state, or you wear dentures, then treatments such as “All on 4 plus” specific to the All-On-4 Clinics may offer an almost instant fix (visit www.allon4.com.au or call 1300 255 664). Once the face height is restored, injectable anti-wrinkle medicines and Dermal Fillers can be used to treat those other signs and symptoms associated with getting older.
Water bottle lines around the lips can be treated with anti-wrinkle injections, whereas Dermal Fillers can be used to replace lost volume by reducing the folds on the sides of the nose (nasolabial folds), plumping the lips, improving the corners of the lips (oral commissures) and reducing the vertical fold lines on either side of the chin, commonly known as Marionette lines. The one thing that we always aim for with treatment, is to reverse the visual effects of ageing. Less is more when it comes to such cosmetic treatments because we can always do enhancements and ‘top ups’ as required.
Dry needling, or combination treatments involving injectable medicines and local anaesthetics are also used to treat painful conditions about the jaws, head, shoulders and neck in those people who suffer from grinding and clenching, dentofacial or orofacial pain, whether it is a result of aging or other factors. If left untreated, the aging changes worsen and so too can the pain associated with them, so its important to stay on top of things and seek help from experienced professionals.
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