Botox is one of the most popular and fastest growing cosmetic procedures in the country, but most people are still surprised to learn that they can receive these treatments in the same office where they brighten their smiles.
When you think about it, this is a pretty natural thing to happen. As dentists, we’re specifically trained to understand facial structures and the many small muscles that control movements there. As it so happens, we also have a lot of experience using small needles with a high level of precision. When you combine those two skills with an understanding of how Botox works, and you’ll get the great cosmetic results you want.
An Effective Use of Botox
Botox is mainly used to reverse the effects of worry and laugh lines, crows feet, and other facial wrinkles, though it has some other uses in the dental office (that we’ll cover in a moment). We can target areas in your forehead, in between the eyes, and at the corners of your lips and eyes.
These types of facial lines are often referred to as “dynamic wrinkle lines” because they happen in the areas that move around the most. Botox offers a minimally invasive way to smooth these lines back out and deliver the look you want.
How It Works
All those facial muscles that eventually lead to dynamic wrinkle lines can be treated with Botox and a process called cosmetic denervation. Essentially, this blocks some transmitters in those muscles, which stops them from contracting and causing wrinkles.
The needle is so small that it is practically a painless process, which means we don’t require any specific anesthesia to do the job. There may be a slight stinging sensation during the injection, and some patients have reported some slight bruising around the injection area, but that all quickly fades.
At Henrich Dental, we also use Xeomin, which works the same way as Botox to improve the appearance of moderate to severe frown lines and crows feet. Xeomin is a prescribed medication that also blocks the chemicals that cause those facial muscles to contract.
Despite popular belief, when these transmitters are blocked, you don’t lose any sensory feeling in those muscles. It just means they won’t contract like they did before, which means that you can quickly eliminate many of the wrinkles in those areas.
Just keep in mind that this is a temporary treatment and, just like teeth whitening, will need to be refreshed on occasion.
More Than Just Appearances
Botox is also a useful treatment for Temporomandibular Joint Disorder (TMJ). Many people experience aching pain in the facial muscles or joints that lock, making it hard to open and close their mouths. For some, it might just be a general stiffness in the jaw muscles, but others feel a constant pain and find it difficult to even chew food.
Botox can be injected into the muscles that are affected by TMJ to alleviate the pain, stress, and headaches that often occur. It can even minimize lock jaw.
(Just as a side note, there is even some research going into how Botox helps ease depression, but that’s something that is going to require a LOT more research still.)
Leave It To Your Dentist
A lot of people still think they have to go to a plastic surgeon or some kind of dermatological specialist to receive Botox treatments. This simply isn’t the case anymore. In fact, because of our understanding of the facial muscles and skeletal structure, we’re a perfect choice for this common cosmetic treatment.
If you want to learn more about how we can provide a complete cosmetic solution, be sure to contact us to learn more.