The orthodontist spoke about the connection between malocclusion and early aging of the face

In some cases, starting from adolescence, when the formation of the jaw ends, the first signs of facial aging may occur, which only progress with age. Orthodontist Andrey Zhuk told Izvestia about the connection between bite and premature age-related changes on March 6.

"According to statistics, more than 80% of the world's population has a physiologically incorrect bite. A physiologically correct bite is a closure of the teeth in which the chewing load is evenly distributed without causing overstrain of the muscles and joints," said Zhuk.

The main signs of a proper bite are a harmonious jaw ratio, uniform closing of teeth, comfort when chewing and speaking, uniform load on teeth and a proportional face. If the bite is physiologically correct, it ensures not only healthy teeth, gums and joints, but also an aesthetic appearance of the face, pleasant facial expressions and skin elasticity, the orthodontist emphasized.

"The chewing teeth (premolars and molars) forming the lateral sections of the dentition are gradually erased due to the high load and butt closure. If the bite was initially formed incorrectly, tooth erasure may take on more serious forms. In this process, the frame of the face seems to fold, sink, and the soft tissues (skin and subcutaneous fat) begin to look excessive. Flaps appear, a second chin, nasolabial folds become deeper, and wrinkles become pronounced," said Zhuk.

The problem can be masked with cosmetology, but correcting soft tissues for the wrong frame will lead to incorrect tension, and more serious problems may arise later, he explained.

The doctor also said that in case of malocclusion, the chewing muscles cannot relax: non-physiological movements of the lower jaw cause excessive tension of the entire muscular structure of the face. As a result, a person may involuntarily frown, and his diction may change. At the same time, the avoidance of individual jaw movements due to discomfort is compensated by the work of other muscles.

In addition, the orthodontist urged to keep an eye on the smile: an incorrect bite leads to premature erasure of the front teeth, their darkening and chipping.

The specialist also spoke about the protocol of comprehensive orthopedic treatment of patients, which includes not only correcting the horizontal position of the jaw and individual teeth, but also working with bite verticalization. In this case, the physiological height of the chewing teeth is restored with the help of special high-strength, durable inlays. Their erasability stops, the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) begins to work without additional strain, facial muscles relax, wrinkles and wrinkles decrease, as a result of which the face looks younger and fresher.

"Normalization of bite with braces and aligners also improves the proportions of the lower third of the face, the oval is outlined, becomes clearer and more attractive from all points of view. And, of course, high—quality modern restoration using crowns, veneers and lumineers helps to find a harmonious and natural smile of youth at any age," concluded the orthodontist.

On February 26, dental therapist, periodontist at the SM-Dentistry clinic, Candidate of Medical Sciences Elena Martynova told Izvestia about the impact of caries on the health of the heart and joints. She noted that in this case, the main causative agents of caries are streptococci, which, when they enter the bloodstream, can provoke inflammatory processes in the heart and joints.