Botox® treatments are a great solution for those who wish to highlight their smile and facial features with a minimally invasive medical procedure. Injectable fillers, such as Botox, are a safe and effective means for reducing the appearance of wrinkles in the skin around the eyes, sagging skin around the cheeks, and frown lines around the mouth. As one of our Gainesville dentistry cosmetic procedures, we can utilize Botox treatments to maximize the appearance of your skin in addition to healing a number of oral-related issues, such as Temporomandibular Joint Disorders (TMJ & TMD) and oral pain.
At Comprehensive Dental Care, we offer Botox treatments as an added service to your dental care or as an individual cosmetic service. If you have questions regarding the Botox procedure, please call our office to schedule a consultation. We are happy to answer any questions you have and will provide you with all of the necessary information regarding the procedure.
What Is Botox?
The tradename “Botox” describes a purified protein — botulinum toxin — which is used for treating a number of dental issues, medical ailments, and cosmetic concerns. Botox injectable fillers must only be performed by skilled medical professionals, such as our Florida DMD to ensure quality results and patient safety. When a skilled medical professional injects the contents of the syringe into a patient’s facial muscles, the purified protein attaches itself to nerve endings, inhibiting the nerves from transmitting in the surrounding facial tissues. Because the injected muscles are unable to contract, the overlying skin does not fold to form wrinkles. Results for Botox treatments may appear within 3 days to 10 days following treatment. The results of Botox for both cosmetic and dental use typically dissipate three to four months following treatment. Additional treatments are required every few months for individuals who want to maintain the effects of Botox treatments.
Can Dentists Perform Botox Treatments?
People often regard Botox as a treatment solely used by plastic surgeons. However, in addition to plastic surgeons, dentistry professionals are also qualified to perform Botox treatments. Throughout medical training, dentists spend years studying oral and maxillofacial anatomy, providing them with a thorough understanding of facial anatomy as well as product pharmacology. With expertise in physiology of the face, mouth, and jaw, a Gainesville dentist may be equipped with the experience necessary to properly administer Botox treatment. Contact us for additional information about Botox treatments as well as the wide range of dental services and procedures offered within our practice.
How Is Botox Used In Dentistry?
In addition to Botox treatments for smoothing wrinkled skin, these injections are widely used within the dentistry industry for treating and providing relief to a number of oral-related issues. such as face pain and jaw pain. A basic benefit of Botox is its ability to relax the face muscles — when injected in muscles affected by certain health issues, the treatment can serve as a relief method to pain and friction in the oral region.
Dental Botox For Teeth Grinding & Jaw Clenching
Oftentimes, patients report that they experience persistent grinding and clenching of their teeth at night — other times, individuals may not even be aware that they clench or grind their teeth while they sleep. This condition is referred to as bruxism and is characterized by jaw muscles persisting chewing motions without the presence of food in the mouth. Both grinding and clenching of the jaw and teeth can cause serious health issues and oral damage. An effective method for providing relief and preventing further damage to the mouth is with Botox treatments. As Botox is injected into the jaw muscles, the muscles relax, preventing damaging motions.
Dental Botox Treatments For TMJ & TMD
TMJ or TMD, temporomandibular joint dysfunction, occurs when the temporomandibular joint that connects the jawbone to the skull functions improperly, causing severe jaw pain, difficulty chewing, and clicking and locking of the jaw joint, among other issues. Because Botox is an injectable muscle relaxant, it can serve to reduce muscle contractions that contribute to TMJ and TMD. Dental Botox can also serve to reduce migraines that occur due to these conditions.
Dental Botox Aftercare
Side effects during and after dental Botox treatment are uncommon and are not severe. Some people report bruising, sore muscles, palpitations, tingling, and nausea. However, you should not worry. These feelings typically subside after 1-2 days following your Botox treatment.
After your dental Botox treatment, it is advised that you should avoid massaging and touching the injected area. You should also stay away from rigorous, strenuous exercise.
If you can, try not to lie down flat for at least 4 hours after your treatment. This small action can prevent your Botox from migrating to your nearby facial muscles.
To address your soreness, you can gently ice the affected area on your face.
Dental Botox Cost
Because dental Botox is a cosmetic procedure, most insurance plans do not cover Botox treatment. On average, Botox injections range from $250 to $500. Because you do not need to ‘refresh’ your Botox until four to six months after your last injection, Botox treatments can be a reasonable and affordable personal investment.