The Dental Benefits of Botox

Louisville, KY

We totally get it — when you think of the dentist, you don’t think of Botox. But consider it: with the regular motion of the face when speaking, smiling and eating, the skin on our faces as we age becomes wrinkled, especially around the eyes and mouth. Botox relaxes facial muscles and smooths wrinkled areas, significantly reducing the signs of aging on the face. With a dentist’s vast knowledge of face and mouth muscles, who better to administer Botox than a properly trained dentist?  

Our Louisville cosmetic dentists are trained to administer Botox for cosmetic dentistry or as part of a total smile makeover, and they are taking a look today at why Botox has taken the dental world by storm. If you’re new to Botox or have been curious about it for a while, keep reading to see if the treatment may be just what you need to address a dental issue while also restoring your face and smile to its youthful glow.

What is Botox?

Botox is a cosmetic, injectable version of highly purified botulinum toxin that is approved by the Food and Drug Administration for healthcare professionals to use in small doses to reduce or eliminate facial fine lines and wrinkles and/or ease tension and pain. Our Shepherdsville cosmetic dentists are trained and licensed to administer Botox injections. You can rest assured that you’re being treated by a competent and qualified professional in a clean and sterile environment. This reduces any possible complications.  

Botox injections temporarily weaken or paralyze certain muscles or block certain nerves, resulting in smoothed fine lines and wrinkles in the face and the relief of pain and tension in the face, head and neck. And the procedure is easy, only taking a few minutes and without the need for an anesthetic. Full results of Botox treatments take seven to 14 days. Results can last three to six months or longer.  

What are common uses for Botox in dentistry?

While many more people elect Botox treatments for cosmetic purposes, it can also be used in dentistry to treat certain conditions like temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ) and Bruxism (the clenching and grinding of teeth, usually during sleep). It can also help edentulous patients and those with a high lip line.

TMJ disorder

The temporomandibular joints are the two joints that connect the lower jaw to the skull. The joints act like hinges, sliding and rotating in front of each ear. When someone suffers from a disorder of the joints, it’s called TMJ, and it often causes facial pain, chronic headaches, worn teeth, a clicking or popping in the jaw and ringing or pain deep in the ears.  

Botox relaxes facial muscles, so the injections can help relax and relieve tension in the jaw area for a period of time. Botox is usually recommended in conjunction with other TMJ treatments, but the injections, alone, can relieve tension and pain in the jaw area, which can help relieve morning tension headaches and jaw clenching. 

Bruxism

Teeth grinding/clenching is frequently associated with TMJ, and this can cause chronic tension headaches, neck/shoulder pain and a sore face and jaws. Our Jeffersonville cosmetic dentists who specialize in treating Bruxism will usually always recommend oral appliance therapy, or the use of a night guard, to patients who grind their teeth. But Botox helps by calming the muscles around the jaw, lessening the force of contractions when patients grind their teeth.  

Edentulous patients

Sometimes lip muscles respond to missing teeth by repositioning themselves, which makes it difficult — if possible — for dentures to fit. Botox can relax the muscles around new dentures, and the muscles will eventually retrain themselves to accommodate a proper fit.

High lip line

A high lip line is when all the top front teeth and the gum tissue above them are exposed. Botox can relax lip muscles, immediately and effectively treating patients who have a high lip line and would prefer a lower, more aesthetically pleasing smile.

Dental Botox injections in Louisville, Jeffersonville, and Shepherdsville, KY

Botox has a multitude of uses in healthcare, and dentistry is no exception. Our cosmetic dentists at Exceptional Dentistry are happy to talk with you about Botox and how it may benefit you. Give us a call at 888-918-3336, or reach us online today to book a consultation.