Botox has been primarily used as a cosmetic treatment for wrinkles and lines on the face. However, the botulinum toxin that Botox is derived from actually has a long history of medically therapeutic uses.
Largely due to its minimally invasive nature, the use of Botox in dentistry is expanding to treat dental conditions.
Uses in Dentistry
- Edentulous Patients/ Patients without any tooth–
In cases where no teeth are present in mouth, the lip muscles become loose over time and get repositioned due to decreased vertical dimension of face. Dentures won’t always fit in these situations and Botox can relax and retrain the muscles around a new denture to make the transition much more successful.
- Gummy Smile–
Patients with a high lip line or a Gummy smile can use Botox to help relax lip muscles and achieve a lower, more aestheticly-pleasing smile line. This is a popular option because the entire process isn’t very invasive and can provide a more immediate form of treatment.
- Jaw Joint Pain–
Patients dealing with Temporomandibular Joint Disorder can benefit from Botox injections, as well. TMJ disorders can cause severe pain from hyperactivity of the muscles and treatment options have been limited in the past. Now, Botox can simply relax these muscles and dental professionals can offer quick and efficient pain relief.
- Teeth Grinding-
Bruxism or Teeth grinding can also be minimized with Botox treatments by reducing the force of the muscular contractions involved. These injections can make a useful adjunct therapy to night guard appliances.
Dermal Fillers
Dermal fillers, such as Hyaluronic acid and Calcium hydroxylapatite fillers, are commonly used to add volume to the face in the nasolabial folds, oral commissures, lips, and marionette lines. As we age, collagen is lost in these facial areas and these lines start to deepen. These dermal fillers are injected right under the skin into to plump up these areas so that these lines are much less noticeable.
Dermal fillers are used by dentists for high lip line cases, uneven lips, and to make the peri-oral area more esthetic. The face looks more youthful and is the perfect complement to any esthetic dentistry case that you do.
Hyaluronic Acid can also be used for the reconstruction of lost interproximal tissue, giving a significant change to your smile, it can be used as a noninvasive method, which will reduce the use of surgical procedures for regenerating soft tissues in upcoming years.