Have you ever heard of the Golden Ratio? The ancient Greeks are credited with discovering that divine proportion and it is often attributed as the reason behind why someone is considered attractive. Essentially, having the right facial proportions are why celebrities like Angelina Jolie, Charlize Theron, Brad Pitt, or James Dean get most people’s votes on being pretty dang good lookin’.
It’s no surprise that the quest for enhanced beauty has been a part of human culture for quite a long while. But it wasn’t until somewhat recently that cosmetic procedures became safe and affordable enough for more people.
Nowadays you can’t open a magazine, watch a movie or TV show, or even scroll through social media without seeing “perfect faces” everywhere. Thanks to makeup, filters, and even advancements in cosmetic procedures, it seems like everyone is going after ways to look better.
But there’s a little secret we’re going to let you in on; your facial proportions can be enhanced without surgery and injections.
Getting an Attractive Face without Surgery and Injectable Fillers
All of the elements that come together to make a face look more attractive (such as fuller lips, nice jawlines, humpless noses, and even great cheekbones) all have to do with facial development. Even though it’s ideal to make sure that the facial structure is properly developing when young, adults can still correct their unbalanced facial proportions to achieve a more attractive face.
This is because your facial profile and underlying facial structure is directly connected to your bite and your jaw development. In fact, having a bad bite can create wrinkles so that you appear older and in some cases, can cause facial collapse! But don’t worry, our Exceptional Dentistry team has advanced training to get you where you would’ve been if it weren’t for the things that got in the way of your proper development when you were younger.
Luckily, we can overcome that and stimulate the proper facial development which in turn balances your facial proportions. You can expect to experience improved:
- Cheekbones
- Defined jaws
- Non-receding chins
- Less of a nose hump
- Fuller lips
What’s more, is that we use combined treatments like myofunctional therapy and growth appliances to be able to treat several issues at once. Since we’re able to treat the airway, teeth and jaws at one time, problems like constant headaches, ringing ears, vertigo, sleep apnea, and TMJ disorder can be corrected — which means that not only will you get cosmetic benefits but functionality benefits as well.
How Growth Appliances Work
Since we believe in conservative, minimally-invasive approaches, we hear you when you say you want to avoid surgery if at all possible. And you can do just that with a growth appliance.
They look just like retainers. Some are removable appliances (meaning that you’d take them out when you eat), while others are fixed appliances (meaning it’s cemented to your teeth in the same way a permanent retainer is) but once you complete treatment it’s removed.
Some appliances work a little faster than others and some work best when combined with other treatments, but in spite of those differences, their purpose is the same.
Growth appliances apply the principles of epigenetic orthodontics which uses your natural genes to enhance the growth of your jaw and improve your airway.
The appliance essentially helps the upper palate to widen and increase the size of the nasal cavity which then allows the lower jaw to be repositioned in a more forward position. This expansion will also pull the tongue and soft tissue away from the airway, which means significantly improved breathing!
When you focus on expanding the airway, it creates a domino effect of optimal jaw positions, straight teeth, and aesthetically appealing facial structure. If jaw repositioning is done right (that’s why having a dentist who is trained is so important), it really is a safe alternative to surgery by creating a healthy balance in the oral maxillofacial areas (aka mouth, face and jaw).
Types of Growth Appliances and Benefits
There are a few different types of growth appliances available and we offer several at our dental office in Palmdale, CA. The benefit of having different options available to you means that treatment can be customized to better fit your individual needs and lifestyle.
The Daytime-Nighttime Appliance®
Daytime-Nighttime Appliance® (DNA Appliance) is similar looking to a removable retainer. It’s a patented design that is worn in the evening and at night while you’re sleeping.
Since it’s removable it may take more time to complete treatment, particularly if you aren’t strict about wearing it.
Over time, as you consistently wear your DNA appliance, the bones in the craniofacial region are remodeled. In other words, the appliance gently makes room for crowded teeth that affect the rest of the face, including the lower jawline, cheekbones, nose and eyes.
This repositioning can also help you sleep better, permanently! The appliance opens the airways, and by fixing an overbite or a shortage of tongue space, it can permanently correct the causes of sleep apnea so you can sleep like a baby again. This form of TMJ, orthopedic and orthodontic treatment relieves the obstructed airway by correcting underdeveloped jaws, or jaws that are too far back with narrow dental arches.
By promoting correct growth, your teeth can be aligned and your bite corrected, much like with braces, only without the braces!
This remodeling from the appliance makes a foundational correction to the structure of your airway. It is a pain-free, minimally invasive process which uses no drugs, medication, or injections.
The AGGA
AGGA stands for anterior growth guidance appliance. You might also see FAGGA, where the ‘F’ stands for fixed. Or RAGGA, where the ‘R’ stands for removable and is typically used when treating children.
It’s very similar to wearing a retainer after getting out of braces.
This oral appliance is much like the DNA Appliance, which stimulates natural arch growth. Again, the expansion of your airway creates the domino effect of getting your teeth, bones, tissue, and joints into the correct position which results in the improved jaw and facial profiles.
So if you’ve been thinking about getting a chin implant or getting jaw surgery for a weak, small or receding chin, our AGGA Appliance can fix your issues fast and without resorting to invasive measures.
Oh, and get this, jaw repositioning can improve your posture! That’s because it can align the top two vertebrae in your spine.
The Benefits You Can Enjoy From Growth Guidance Therapy
We’ve already mentioned several benefits but we just wanted to lay them all out. Each person who comes to us may have something slightly different that they’re experiencing, but growth guidance therapy is really an all-inclusive treatment option.
Instead of relying on facelift surgery, drugs, medication, or filler injections to improve your looks, you can get the facial profile you want in the least invasive way possible. The resulting benefits you can look forward to include:
- A fuller smile
- Alleviated pain (frequent headaches, dizziness, pressure, jaw pain, neck pain, etc.)
- Improved facial appearance (cheekbones, defined jaws, non-receding chins, less of a nose hump, and fuller lips)
- Better posture
- Improved breathing and energy levels
- Corrected bite problems or malocclusion
- Permanently better sleep (even if you have sleep apnea)
Who knew a dental appliance could do all that?!
How To Get Started: Achieve A Surgery-FREE Attractive Face
In order to address your concerns, the best thing you could do is set up an evaluation with our experienced dentist, Dr. Powell. Using computerized scans to take digital X-rays, Dr. Powell will pinpoint exactly where your jaw muscles, airway structure, joints, and teeth currently sit. At this visit, the two of you will discuss your goals and concerns. With all this information, he can then create a custom plan just for you to align your facial elements harmoniously.
Dr. Powell is the only dentist in the Antelope Valley area offering growth appliance treatment because of his commitment to giving his patients the quality of care they deserve. If you’re ready for improved changes to your facial aesthetic and overall health and well being, we welcome you to schedule a visit with our dental practice in Palmdale, CA. Our dentist, Dr. James Powell, along with our dedicated team, specializes in physiological dentistry treatment to give you permanent results without turning to surgery. Learn more by calling us at (661) 349-772 or book your visit online.
