Invisalign for an Anti-Aging Smile

When I first started  my anti-aging journey I identified a dozen different signs of facial aging. On that list I noted only a single dental problem– stained/ yellowed teeth.  Turns out that changes in our smile are part of  often  unrecognized changes that  make us look older.  The overbite that I see in the mirror was just a symptom of  changing dental contours, rather than the cause  of  my aging smile.

Here’s how it works:  According to Dr Jacquie, the full wide smile of gorgeous celebrities ( think Angelina Jolie, Jessica Alba, Halle Barre, Kate Middleton) is a youthful smile.  As we get older, our smile often becomes smaller as the jaw  loses bone mass, shifting the teeth forward. 

To check this out, I dug out old family photos and there it was– a full wide smile.  As a thirty something Mom, I had a little overbite, but my  broad youthful smile  had two rows of an even white teeth.  Comparing that smile with my baseline  pix from Dr Jacquie, you can see the difference a few decades make.  The overbite is more pronounced  and the side teeth have receded and are barely visable.

Looking at these photos I realized that I certainly under- estimated  the impact of aging on the mouth– and I’m not alone.  Even in New York where you can trip over dermatologists  and cosmetic surgeons, it took me two years to find  a full service cosmetic dentist– someone who is focused on the smile problems of adults.   At Dr Jacquie’s office, I noticed the  beautiful models and actors walking in the door, and I began to suspect I was finally in the right place.   If  the other patients in the waiting room have a curfew and are carrying  that thick SAT book, you’re probably  in the wrong place.

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