Can a Smile Makeover Reduce the Deep Lines That Form Around the Corners of the Mouth?
Introduction
Many patients notice, often gradually and then seemingly all at once, that deep lines have begun forming around the corners of their mouth. These creases — sometimes called nasolabial folds or marionette lines — can become more pronounced with age, and it is entirely natural to feel self-conscious about them. It is also entirely understandable that people turn to online searches hoping to find out whether dentistry, and specifically a smile makeover, could help.
A smile makeover encompasses a range of dental treatments aimed at improving the appearance of the smile as a whole. What many patients may not immediately realise is that certain dental changes — particularly those involving tooth structure, bite alignment, and facial support — can influence the depth and appearance of lines around the mouth.
This article explains what contributes to these lines, how dentistry may play a role in supporting facial structure, and what to consider when exploring your options. Individual suitability for any treatment always depends on a thorough clinical assessment.
Featured Snippet Answer
Can a smile makeover reduce the deep lines that form around the corners of the mouth?
A smile makeover may help reduce the appearance of deep lines around the corners of the mouth in some patients by restoring lost dental volume, improving bite support, and enhancing facial structure. However, results vary considerably between individuals and depend entirely on clinical assessment and the underlying causes involved.
What Causes Deep Lines to Form Around the Corners of the Mouth?
Lines around the corners of the mouth — often referred to as nasolabial folds, marionette lines, or perioral lines — develop due to a combination of factors. Understanding what drives them is the first step in exploring whether dentistry can play any meaningful role.
Natural ageing is among the most significant contributors. As we age, the skin loses collagen and elastin, reducing its ability to spring back into shape. Facial fat pads shift downward, and the structural support beneath the skin gradually diminishes.
Tooth loss and dental wear are particularly relevant from a dental perspective. Teeth provide physical support to the lips and surrounding soft tissue. When teeth are missing, worn down, or when the bite has collapsed over time, the lower third of the face can lose height. This reduction in facial height allows the skin above to fold more deeply, making lines appear more pronounced.
Repeated muscle movement from speaking, chewing, and expressing emotion also etches lines into the skin over decades. Lifestyle factors including sun exposure, smoking, and diet can accelerate this process.
It is important to note that the causes of these lines vary significantly from person to person. A clinical assessment helps identify which factors are contributing in each individual case.
How Might a Smile Makeover Help?
A smile makeover is not a single treatment but a tailored combination of dental procedures chosen to improve the overall appearance of a patient's smile. Depending on which treatments are selected following clinical assessment, there are several ways in which a smile makeover may positively influence the area around the mouth.
Restoring dental volume and facial support is one of the most clinically meaningful connections between dentistry and perioral lines. Treatments such as dental implants, crowns, or full-mouth rehabilitation can restore teeth that have been lost or worn down. In doing so, they may help re-establish the facial height that supports the lips and surrounding soft tissue — potentially softening the appearance of lines in some patients.
Orthodontic treatment can adjust the position of teeth and the bite, which in some cases influences how the lips rest and how the lower face is supported.
Porcelain veneers or composite bonding may improve the appearance of the smile significantly, though their impact on lines around the mouth is more likely to be indirect, through improved confidence and overall aesthetic harmony rather than structural facial support.
It is important to approach this topic with measured expectations. Dentistry can contribute meaningfully to certain aspects of facial aesthetics, but it does not replace medical or cosmetic dermatological treatments where those may be more appropriate.
To understand which dental treatments may be suitable for your circumstances, explore our smile makeover options at St Paul's Dental Practice.
The Dental Science Behind Facial Support and Tooth Structure
To understand why teeth influence the appearance of the lower face, it helps to consider the structural role they play.
The teeth, jawbones, and surrounding soft tissues form an integrated system. Teeth are not merely tools for biting and chewing — they act as internal scaffolding for the face. The upper and lower arches of teeth maintain what is known as the vertical dimension of occlusion (VDO) — a measurement of the face's height when the teeth come together in a resting bite.
When teeth are lost, particularly multiple teeth or posterior (back) teeth, the vertical dimension can reduce. The lower jaw rotates upward and inward as the facial height decreases. This change causes the soft tissue overlying the lower face — including the skin, muscles, and fat pads — to compress and fold. The result is the deepening of the lines and creases around the mouth and chin area.
Dental wear from grinding (bruxism) can produce a similar effect over time. As the biting surfaces of teeth wear away, the vertical dimension gradually collapses.
Restorative dental treatments that rebuild the teeth to a more appropriate height can, in selected patients, help restore some of this lost vertical dimension. This is assessed carefully by a dentist and is not appropriate in every case. A comprehensive assessment is always required before any restorative work is planned.
What Does a Smile Makeover Actually Involve?
Patients often have questions about what a smile makeover entails practically. It is not a standardised package — it is a bespoke treatment plan developed around the individual patient's dental health, aesthetic goals, and clinical findings.
A smile makeover consultation will typically involve a thorough examination of the teeth, gums, bite, and jaw structure. Digital photographs and sometimes dental impressions or scans are taken. The dentist will discuss what the patient wishes to improve and explain what may or may not be achievable based on the clinical findings.
Treatment components that may be included in a smile makeover — again, depending entirely on individual suitability — can include:
- Teeth whitening to brighten the overall appearance of the smile
- Composite bonding or porcelain veneers to reshape, resurface, or restore individual teeth
- Crowns to protect and restore heavily damaged teeth
- Dental implants to replace missing teeth
- Orthodontics to improve alignment and bite function
- Full-mouth rehabilitation for patients with significant wear or tooth loss
Each of these treatments carries its own indications, risks, benefits, and alternatives. A qualified dentist will explain all of these during the assessment process. No treatment should be recommended or accepted without a full understanding of what it involves.
When Professional Dental Assessment May Be Appropriate
If you have noticed deep lines forming around the corners of your mouth and are wondering whether dentistry might help, a professional dental assessment is a sensible starting point. There are several situations in which speaking to a dentist sooner rather than later may be particularly worthwhile.
Disclaimer
This article is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional dental advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Individual conditions vary — please consult a qualified dental professional for personalised guidance. In a dental emergency, seek immediate professional care.