With increasing age and edentulism, numerous esthetic changes occur to the perioral region. The upper lips lose definition, flatten, and lengthen, the cupid’s bow is lost, and the oral commissures descend. The nasolabial folds deepen, marionette lines become prominent, vertical rhytids around the lips form, and chin rhytids form. Chronic exposure to UVA radiation from the sun can lead to photodamage, characterized by wrinkles, lentigines, actinic keratoses, and other pigment changes. In addition, edentulism leads to jaw atrophy, which often compromises soft tissue support. Removable dentures, the conventional treatment to restore missing teeth, not only replace teeth, but also provide support to the lips via the labial flange. Implant-supported fixed prostheses are a very popular option to restore completely edentulous arches; these prostheses are flangeless, providing no bulk to the lips. Addressing changes in the perioral region due to aging and edentulism requires a combination of treatments, with each addressing different issues. Onabotulinum toxin A can be used to treat dynamic perioral and chin rhytids, and upturn the corners of the mouth. Hyaluronic acid filler can be used to treat deep nasolabial folds, marionette lines, and re-volumize the lips. Chemical peels can treat photodamaged skin, static rhytids, and other dermatologic pathologies. The subnasal lip lift, developed by Cardoso and Sperli in 1971, has become an increasingly common technique used to rejuvenate the upper lip in elderly and edentulous patients. This case report describes an elderly patient who was treated with a combination of subnasal lip lift, hyaluronic acid filler, onabotulinum toxin A, and chemical peel to achieve superior perioral esthetics. This case highlights the synergy of each procedure when done in combination to achieve highly effective results.
Keywords: case-report/series, cosmetics, full edentulism, implantology, oral surgery, perioral esthetics, soft tissue management
