More and more people have started to use Botox, Juvederm, and Restylane to get a smoother, more relaxed facial appearance. Having an attractive smile can significantly improve your self-confidence. If you want to feel more confident this holiday season, here’s why you should consider Botox and dermal fillers. 

What is Botox? 

Botox is an FDA-approved purified protein that is injected into targeted muscles. These injections temporarily block nerve signals that cause muscle movements, which means the muscle can relax. This eliminates fine line, wrinkles, and certain other conditions for a certain period of time. 

Within 3-5 days of receiving an injection, the muscles become relaxed, and causes the overlying skin to lay flat and unwrinkled. The surrounding muscles that don’t receive treatment continue moving in a normal fashion, allowing facial expressions to remain the same. The injections only take a matter of a few minutes, but the results of the injections last anywhere from 3-6 months. 

Explaining Dermal Fillers

The older we get, the more our skin begins to lose elasticity and collagen filled with hyaluronic acid. Collagen and hyaluronic acid are what help give of face structure and volume. When we lack these, the skin can sag and wrinkle, but dermal fillers can help with that. 

Dermal fillers are smooth, injectable gels that come from naturally-occurring hyaluronic acid. Dermal fillers add volume back to lacking areas and restore your face — resulting in a natural and youthful appearance.

What is Dental Botox? 

Now that you know a little bit about the cosmetic benefits, let’s discuss the dental benefits. Using Botox in dentistry is beginning to gain momentum because it can assist with a number of different ailments. Botox can help if you:

• Have headache pain due to tension in the head, face, or neck
• Suffer from TMJ and bite issues that can cause headaches 
• Persistently clench or grind your teeth
• Have over-retracted upper lips, resulting in a ‘gummy’ smile
• Want to get rid of lip lines and puckered chins 

The American Academy of Facial Esthetics encourages the use of Botox in dentistry for different ailments that haven’t responded to traditional treatment methods. Specifically, for those who suffer from temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD) or bruxism. 

Temporomandibular Joint Disorder

It is estimated that 80% of people have some sort of problems with TMD. In many dental offices, TMD is a label for any chronic jaw or facial pain that results in headaches, earaches, cervical spine disorders, and general facial pain. When patients come in with this problem, they often have multiple trigger points that need to be treated. Botox for TMD symptoms lasts longer than typical trigger point injections, and can help relieve the pain for months at a time. 

Bruxism

Another common condition in Bruxism, which is the condition people have when they clench or grind their teeth. Bruxism can harm healthy teeth and jaw structures, and is most commonly treated with mouth pieces. While mouth pieces are still a great option for teeth grinders, Botox can help relax the muscles so not as much grinding or clenching of teeth happens. 

Botox Outside of Dentistry

Outside of dentistry, Botox is used to help with different cosmetic and health issues. It can help with:

• Temporary smoothing of facial wrinkles and improving your appearance
• Severe underarm sweating
• Cervical dystonia – a neurological disorder that causes severe neck and shoulder muscle contractions
• Blepharospasm – uncontrollable blinking
• Strabismus – misaligned eyes
• Chronic migraine
• Overactive bladder

Risks of Botox 

A study published by the US National Library of Medicine that Botox in dentistry can come along with a few side effects, though nothing typically severe. The most common side effects include:

• Soreness near the injection site a few days after the procedure
• Weakness in the muscles injected 
• Atrophy of the muscles if injections are done over and over again, though it is reversible when therapy is discontinued 
• Flu-like symptoms the first couple of days, but this is rare and usually goes away within 1-2 days 

Get Holiday Season Ready with Dental Botox and Dermal Fillers 

Now you can radiate beauty from the inside out by receiving Botox and dermal filler treatments with Dr. Ania who has been specially trained in total facial esthetics and is a member of the American Academy of Facial Esthetics (AAFE). She can administer your treatments with exceptional accuracy and precision. To have a consultation or to simply make a Botox appointment now, call our office at (303)-872-9940.