The Most Noticed Feature By TIM COLLISON, CFSP, The Dodge Company When the mouth of the deceased seems too wide, it’s likely that the cheeks lack fullness, the chin is not as wide or pronounced as it should be and the jaw line is sharper or more clearly defined than it was in life. These changes are caused by the loss of tissue mass in the face. We know that when muscle tissue atrophies, it shrinks or diminishes in size. Especially when the muscles are arranged in a circular manner and capable of contracting as they are around the eyes and the mouth and to some extent the nares, if this tissue atrophies or becomes desiccated, it will distort the normal shape of the feature. Simple gravity and the shrinkage of the tissues supporting the mouth will cause it to flatten and will cause the corners to pull outward and downward. When the embalmer positions the mouth, unless he or she compensates for this loss of foundation, there will be a tendency to have a very flat mouth which doesn’t exhibit a normal size or curvature. Keep in mind that the anatomical outer limits for the mouth are the centers of the eyes. Remember too that the thicknesses of the upper and lower integumentary lip have probably diminished when the subject is of advanced age or has died of disease. Knowing these two things, the embalmer can compensate for loss of underlying muscle and fat and can create a natural looking mouth. Can You Put a Smile on Their Face? I think when funeral directors hear this request, we sometimes cringe. However, what most families usually mean is that they would like their loved one to have a pleasant expression on their face. The appearance of the mouth is the primary determining factor in creating a pleasant expression. The position of the mouth is arguably the single greatest source of complaints regarding the appearance of the deceased. “The lips don’t look right.” “The mouth is too wide.” “He looks angry.” “My dad never wore lipstick.” All of these comments are familiar to us. Let’s break down the causes of some of these problems. The Lips Don’t Look Right Without a photograph, it is difficult to know how someone’s mouth appeared during life. Generally, problems arise because of the amount of upper and lower mucus membrane (the reddish portion of the lip) which we determine should show. Especially when there has been a loss of weight and a corresponding loss of muscle tissue, the lips may flatten and lose their natural curvature. The absence of teeth or dentures also makes it necessary for the embalmer to “guesstimate” the best position for the lips. By making sure that we have restored the underlying foundation when positioning the mouth — whether we do that by using a mouth former, cotton treated with Kalip or Inr-Seel — we can simplify the determination of the line of closure, and thus the amount of upper and lower mucus membrane which is visible. The Mouth Is Too Wide Of all the comments about mouths from family members, this one is probably the most commonly heard by funeral directors. If the mouth of the deceased appears too wide, the cause will probably be found amongst the issues listed in the previous paragraph. To fully understand the changes in facial features which are produced by aging and sickness, we need to look at the foundation of the facial features. The shape of a person’s face is determined by layers of skin, subcutaneous fat, muscle and bone tissue. A change in any of these components will ultimately change the appearance of someone’s face. No matter whether it is the result of age, trauma or disease, the slightest change will be noticeable to those viewing the deceased. Most often when the appearance of the mouth is unnatural, there are other corresponding anomalies in the face which may not be commented upon. This is because people viewing a remains normally focus on the mouth and eyes rather than other features. 10 | Directors Digest
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