Botox Therapy in Dentistry
Bel Drive Dental offers various cosmetic dental services. From enhancing your smile through teeth whitening to dental implants or same day crowns, our Omaha dentists are making sure that you are looking and feeling your best! Another cosmetic produce that is typically associated with esthetic benefits that is often overlooked in dentistry is Botox.
What is Dental Botox?
Botox injections are filled with a protein that relaxes muscles and, most often, is used to reduce wrinkles or fine lines in the skin. Recently, Botox is becoming more popular in the field of dentistry because it provides the ability to block nerve endings that softens the skin around the injection site and does not allow the muscles to contract.
Why see our Dentists at Bel Drive Dental for Botox?
Receiving Botox treatment at a dental office is probably one of the last places you would think to look… However, our team of professionals have spent years studying facial anatomy and their training and experience is heightened; specifically in the facial muscles and structures.
Whether you’re suffering from migraine pain, discomfort of jaw tension, or simply wanting to enhance your beautiful smile, Botox therapy provides substantial benefits as an adjunctive therapy in dental and cosmetic treatment.
Who can benefit from Dental Botox?
There are a wide range of individuals who can benefit from Botox treatment, below are just a few:
1. Patients who have headaches resulting from TMJ syndrome and muscle tension in the maxillofacial area
- Temporomandibular Joint Disorder, also known as TMJ can cause severe pain from hyperactivity of the hyperactivity of the muscles. Botox will relax these muscles along your jaw and offer quick and effective pain relief.
2. Patients who have a “Gummy Smile” resulting from over-retracting upper lips
- Patients with a high lip line can use Botox to help relax their lip muscles and achieve a lower, more aesthetic smile line
3. Patients who persistently grind and clench their teeth
- Botox can help alleviate the symptoms of bruxism (teeth grinding and clenching). These conditions can be minimized with the help of Botox injections relaxing the muscles affected.
4. Patients whose lip needs adjustment before or after oral surgeries or denture placement
- Let’s face it. Undergoing any oral surgery or receiving dentures can result in discomfort and pain. Our Omaha dental team has found that Botox can greatly relieve discomfort and facial pain from almost any orthodontic or dental treatment.
5. Patients who experience edentulous
- In some cases, lip muscles have become repositioned due to decreased vertical dimension. Botox can relax and retrain the muscles around a new denture to make the transition more successful.
6. Patients wishing to enhance their appearance by reshaping their smile
- You deserve to feel confident and to share your smile with the world! If you are unhappy with features of your current smile, call us today!
Botox can do much more than remove wrinkles - it can be an effective treatment to rejuvenate various facial and dental conditions.
How long does Botox last?
Botox injections usually begin working one to three days after treatment. Depending on the condition prior to treatment, the results from Botox can last up to 3 - 4 months. As muscle action slowly returns, the lines and wrinkles begin to reappear and need to be treated again. Oftentimes, the lines and wrinkles appear less severe with time because the muscles are essentially shrinking. We recommend scheduling follow up appointments to maintain your desired appearance & feel.
Popular Myths about Botox Treatments
There are many misconceptions about Botox treatment and various side effects one may experience after receiving treatment. Our dental team in Omaha is here to address those myths:
1. “Botox will give me a “frozen” or expressionless look” - FALSE. Oftentimes if an individual has a “frozen” look on their face, it’s due to overdosage. Our Omaha team of professionals have our patient’s best interest at heart and will only recommend the amount needed to fulfill our patient’s goals.
2. “The only place to receive Botox treatment is at med spas”
- FALSE. Dentists are becoming another popular place to receive Botox treatment to treat conditions that affect how the body functions.
3.“Botox injections are filled with dangerous proteins that have a variety of side effects”
- FALSE. Botox cannot spread to other parts in the body, only where it is injected at. The formula makeup of Botox is a neurotoxin derived from Clostridium botulinum, an organism found in the natural environment where it’s largely inactive.
4. “Botox injections are only for removing wrinkles”
- FALSE. As mentioned throughout the blog, patients have found to use Botox for a variety of oral health related conditions (migraines from TMJ, gummy smile, edentulous, and muscle spasms).
5. “Once you start Botox injections, you cannot stop”
- FALSE. If you decide to stop using Botox, the wrinkles will gradually return with repeated movements, but will not worsen your condition
The reality is Botox treatments are used for numerous reasons and are becoming more popular to address non-cosmetic conditions. If you are interested in seeing if Botox is right for you, let’s talk, schedule a complimentary consultation today.
Our friendly and empathetic staff is located in the strip mall at the corner of 120th & Arbor, in Omaha, NE! We welcome walk-ins and new patients!