Could the Oralift, a plastic mouthguard, be the answer to looking ten years younger without cosmetic surgery? According to inventor London dentist Dr Nick Mohindra, this plastic mouthguard can help patients look younger by sculpturing their faces.

The Oralift is claimed can do many different things including:

• Eliminate hollows under the eyes
• Plump up the cheeks
• Give fuller lips and a wider, more even smile
• Tighten the jawline
• Tone facial muscles
• Soften nose-to-mouth lines
• Tighten loose skin under the jawline and neck
• Make the face more symmetrical
• Give clearer skin
• Vanish facial thread veins
• Help remove or reduce the look of crow’s feet

Naturally, not every patient is claiming to see all of the above however most patients should see a more youthful appearance within a couple of days of starting the Oralift treatment. Peak ‘youthfulness’ should appear after three years of use. Mohindra claims that the benefits last pretty much forever.

For a piece of oral plastic, the claims really are fantastic. So how does this miracle mouthguard work?

To fit, the Oralift mouthguard is placed in a microwave to soften the plastic. It is then fitted to the lower teeth and allowed to cool for a few seconds where it will harden back into shape. The mouthguard itself is the shape of a horseshoe and contains two platform blocks above the rear teeth and it is these platforms that are the key to the device.

The theory behind the Oralift is that as we get older we lose facial ‘height’, mainly between the nose and chin area. Partly this is due to the grinding of teeth or the natural wearing down of teeth through eating. By using the mouthguard you are increasing this height again and therefore reversing this particularly ageing process.

When our jaws our relaxed we have a ‘freeway space’ between our back teeth of between 1 and 3 millimetres. By wearing the Oralift mouth guard, this freeway space is stretched to up to a centimetre. As the stretching begins, the facial muscles are put under a little stress and it is claimed that this process allows them to release proteins that increase collagen, thus plumping out the skin. The increase in blood flow to the skin helps make it brighter and clearer and gives it a healthy glow.

The Oralift is said to be quite comfortable to wear however it can be difficult for the wearer to have a natural facial expression when wearing it. For best results, the patient has to keep their lips closed whilst wearing the mouthguard and not allow their back teeth to rest on the Oralift’s platforms. Whilst the patient is wearing the Oralift, they should not talk or eat.

When being fitted with the Oralift, the dentist should give you ‘training’ and a schedule of when to wear it. Typically, it will start with a day of two sessions of 15 minutes a piece followed by two rest days. The next sessions are half an hour long each every third day, building up to two 2 hour sessions every third day. The dentist will monitor the progress of the Oralift and may fit a new mouthguard with higher platforms to increase the effect if deemed necessary.

At £575, the Oralift isn’t cheap however if you are considering a facelift, this option is most definitely cheaper and comes without the risks normally associated with cosmetic surgery.