Saving Face

Created on 01st August 2008

Olivia Young investigates the importance of combining facial and dental surgery to achieve a youthful look

The facelift is a great way to rejuvenate your look; surgery can leave you looking younger, fresher and with a sparkle in your eye. The skin is lifted and the muscles are tightened producing a fantastic looking result. This will be undermined though unless your smile matches the overall effect.

The number of women undergoing facelifts has reached a record high, in 2007, 4,238 facelifts were carried out on women, a rise of 37 per cent on 2006. Kay Franklin (director at The Nottingham Centre for Cosmetic Surgery) explains that "the facelift procedure is the most sought after within the over 40s age group. However, increasingly, face lifts are being carried out on younger patients. This is probably due to increased travel abroad and the consequent exposure to ultraviolet radiation."

The ageing process is genetically controlled but over the years these biological influences are accelerated by:

• Excess exposure to sunlight
• The effect of gravity
• General stress and strain
• Smoke
• Alcohol

The face lift can be the answer to the worrying signs of ageing such as wrinkles and loose hanging skin but it is a complex procedure due to the construction of the facial skin.

The operation involves an incision is made in the temporal region (just inside the natural line of the hair) and prolonged in front of each ear (pre-auricular region). Also a small incision is made in the crease at the back of the ear. The surgeon then works on the facial muscle and fatty tissue below the skin.

The anterior temporal facelift involves the dissection of an anterior flap and then it is pulled in a middle tension (by stretching backwards and upwards), the excess of the skin is removed and the skin is sutured into position at the incision points. The operation usually lasts two to four hours so no overnight stay is necessary. The staples and the stitches are removed between five and twelve days after surgery and normally after about two weeks you will be able to return to work and socialise as normal.

Dr Gary Horn, facial surgeon for The Nottingham Centre, told us that facial surgery can give life to lines.

Dental facelifts

When a patient is contemplating an enhancement of their facial aesthetics, the importance of their smile, position of their jaw and health of their mouth will all play a significant role at the treatment planning stage.

When the jaw joint is not in the right position this can lead to facial disharmony affecting the overall result of any potential surgery.

A face should be fitted around the bone structures of which the teeth and jaw are integral parts and must be in a stable situation. When teeth are not restored or replaced this can lead to bite changes, increased loading and wear, fracture of adjacent teeth and may cause jaw, joint and muscle problems all of which can result in aesthetic problems.

Even more importantly, an attractive smile is crucial in achieving the best results and aesthetics. It is well known that the teeth and smile account for 40 per cent of what we perceive as facial beauty.

When a patient has cosmetic surgery to provide a more youthful looking face, if the smile is not rejuvenated at the same time the complete picture will be flawed. Sixty-year-old worn and discolored teeth will not fit into a forty-something looking face.

It is the opinion of most practitioners involved in facial aesthetics that a multi-disciplinary approach with a coordinated team of practice surgeons, dental surgeons as well as non-surgical facial specialists are required to provide the ultimate facial aesthetics and smile makeovers.

With a refreshed, rejunvenated appearance and a sparkling smile, you really will be able to roll back the years.
CSMUK