The OPTISMILE Podcast 112 - The Dental Facelift

Save Your Money, Save Your TeethEpisode 112: The Dental FaceliftWith Dr Clifford Yudelman of OptiSmile and Eon Engelbrecht of E-Radio-SACould your dentist take years off your face without a single scalpel? In this episode of Save Your Money, Save Your Teeth, Eon Engelbrecht sits down with Dr Clifford Yudelman of OptiSmile to unpack the dental facelift: how worn-down teeth quietly age the face, and how rebuilding the bite can restore support to the lips, cheeks and jawline. It is anti-ageing rooted in biology rather than vanity, and the results can be remarkable. Here are the ten questions Eon put to Dr Yudelman this week, each with a short summary answer, followed by the full conversation.Questions and AnswersQuestion 1 (0:23): How does wearing down our teeth make our faces look older?Tooth wear is a facial ageing issue, not just a dental one. As grinding, acid erosion and general wear shorten the teeth, the lower third of the face collapses slightly, reducing support for the lips and cheeks and producing a sunken, tired look with deeper smile lines. Worn teeth accelerate facial ageing in a way that no facelift or laser peel can reverse.Question 2 (1:47): What is loss of vertical dimension, and how does it cause wrinkles?Vertical dimension is the natural height between the upper and lower jaw when the teeth meet, set mainly by the back teeth. When teeth are lost or worn down the jaw over-closes, moving the chin towards the nose, shortening the lower face and deepening the creases around the mouth. Restoring that height softens wrinkles and improves facial harmony as a functional rather than cosmetic change.Question 3 (2:58): Can building up the back teeth lift sagging skin around the jaw?Yes. Rebuilding the back teeth reopens lost space and gives the overlying skin and muscle more support. It is not the same as a surgical facelift that pulls skin from behind the ears, but it can achieve a similar effect, and the two approaches can sometimes be combined.Question 4 (3:38): Can veneers or bonding plump up the lips without fillers?Yes, and often better than fillers. The lips rest against the front teeth, so worn, thin or recessed teeth leave them flat and unsupported; restoring proper tooth length and contour with veneers or injection moulded composite bonding gives the lips an internal scaffold and natural fullness. Because it restores what was lost rather than adding volume, the effect is subtle and proportionate, whereas fillers over small or worn teeth can make the problem worse.Question 5 (4:40): Why do teeth turn yellow or grey with age, and does whitening make us look younger?As enamel thins with age the darker, yellower dentine underneath shows through, and a lifetime of staining foods and drinks compounds the effect. Whitening is one of the most effective non-invasive ways to look more youthful, since whiter teeth are read as health and vitality. It works best as part of a broader plan, the OptiSmile ABC approach: Align, Bleach (whiten) and Composite bond.Question 6 (7:59): What is the buccal corridor, and how does widening the smile help aesthetics?The buccal corridors are the dark spaces at the corners of the smile, between the teeth and the cheeks, which become more prominent as teeth wear or collapse inwards. A narrow smile looks older, so widening the arch with orthodontics, Invisalign and bonding reduces those shadows for a fuller, younger smile. Research in smile aesthetics links a moderate reduction of the buccal corridors to higher attractiveness ratings.Question 7 (9:18): Can fixing the bite reduce the appearance of a witch's chin?Yes. The so-called witch's chin comes from severe over-closure, usually after significant tooth loss, where the bite collapses and the chin rotates up and forward towards the nose. It is often seen in patients missing lower teeth or not wearing a lower denture, and restoring the bite can correct that pointed, over-closed appearance.Question 8 (10:37): Is this a surgical procedure, or can it be done with restorative dentistry alone?Most dental facelifts are done very conservatively with bonding, onlays or crowns, aligners and injection moulding, staged carefully and tested for comfort, function and adaptation. Surgery is reserved for specific jaw discrepancies and is not routine for age-related wear. The conservative route keeps risk low while maximising the benefit.Question 9 (11:28): How do you test whether a patient can tolerate a new bite height?In practice, the bite can usually be opened four or five millimetres without prior testing, because the freeway space means almost everyone tolerates it. Where there is doubt, temporary restorations worn for a few weeks let the patient adapt their speech, chewing and jaw joints before anything permanent is done.Question 10 (12:14): Why is this a functional facelift rather than just cosmetic?The primary goal is functional: chewing efficiency, jaw comfort, preserving and rebuilding the teeth, and bite stability. The aesthetic improvement is largely a by-product of returning the face to its natural, supported position. Unlike a cosmetic facelift, a dental rehabilitation improves health, function and longevity, which is anti-ageing rooted in biology rather than vanity.Closing ThoughtsThe takeaway is that a dental facelift is not cosmetic guesswork but functional reconstruction, restoring the height and support the face loses as teeth wear down, with a younger appearance as the welcome by-product. If your smile has started to feel shorter, flatter or more tired, it may be your bite rather than your skin that needs attention. Next week the series turns practical with how to build your own dental emergency kit, followed by how to read your own X-rays.Further ResourcesThe following OptiSmile pages expand on the treatments discussed in this episode:Cosmetic Dentistry in Cape Town: https://optismile.co.za/dental-solutions/cosmetic-dentistry/Dental Bonding (the ABC Treatment): https://optismile.co.za/dental-solutions/dental-bonding/Dental Veneers in Cape Town: https://optismile.co.za/dental-solutions/dental-veneers-2/WOW Teeth Whitening Cape Town: https://optismile.co.za/dental-solutions/wow-teeth-whitening-cape-town/Disclaimer: The content provided in this podcast, "Save Your Money Save Your Teeth" on Medical Mondays, is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to serve as dental or medical advice. The insights and opinions expressed by Dr. Clifford Yudelman and any guests are designed to foster a better understanding of dental health, preventive measures, and general well-being, but should not be interpreted as professional dental or medical recommendations. Dr. Clifford Yudelman does not diagnose, treat, or offer prevention strategies for any health conditions directly through this podcast. This platform is not a substitute for the personalized care and advice provided by a licensed dental or healthcare professional. We strongly encourage our listeners to consult with their own dental care providers to address individual dental health needs and concerns. The information shared here aims to empower listeners with knowledge about dental health but must not be used as a basis for making health-related decisions without professional guidance. Your dental care provider is the best source of advice about your dental and overall health. Please always seek the advice of your dentist or other qualified health professionals regarding any questions or concerns about your dental health.