Botox has become a household name for its anti-aging effects, though this injectable offers benefits far beyond smoothing wrinkles. Miraculously, it can also resolve multiple medical conditions.
While you may associate Botox treatments with dermatologists, plastic surgeons and aestheticians, qualified dentists can also administer Botox injections for specific concerns. Learn how Botox works in dentistry with this guide.
What Is Botox?
Botox derives from a purified version of the botulism toxin. There are a few different formulations for this toxin, including Xeomin and Dysport, but Botox is the best-known product because it was the first to receive FDA approval.
When injected into specific facial muscles, Botox temporarily blocks the nerve signals that allow them to contract. As a result, it smooths dynamic wrinkles like crow’s feet to provide a more relaxed, youthful appearance. However, medical professionals also use it to treat several conditions and health concerns.
- Chronic migraines: There are numerous causes of chronic migraines. Botox influences the nerves to reduce pain-associated neurotransmission when injected around the face, head and neck. Relaxing tense muscles in these areas makes migraine headaches less frequent and severe.
- Strabismus: This condition causes misaligned eyes. Usually, one eye turns upward while the other turns downward. Eyes can also squint in different directions with strabismus. It can lead to blurred or double vision. Botox injections can weaken targeted muscles to relax the overactive eye muscles that cause strabismus.
- Blepharospasm: Botox can also ease the effects of blepharospasm, which causes uncontrollable blinking. As with strabismus, Botox can weaken the overactive muscles that allow you to blink excessively.
- Temporomandibular joint dysfunction: TMJ syndrome affects the joint that connects the jawbone to the skull. It can cause pain, difficulty chewing and other symptoms. Botox treatments relax tight jaw muscles that contribute to pain and discomfort.
- Crooked smile: Botox injections can lift one side of the mouth and drop the other to reshape an asymmetrical smile. As a bonus, using Botox this way will also minimize wrinkles and fine lines around your mouth.
- Bruxism: Teeth grinding may lead to dental issues such as wear and tear, jaw pain and headaches. Botox can prevent you from clenching your jaw muscles, reducing the severity of tooth grinding and gradually helping you break the habit. Botox can protect your teeth from damage by minimizing excessive muscular activity, relieving the discomfort associated with grinding your teeth.
In addition, Botox can treat conditions affecting other areas of the body, such as an overactive bladder and adult and pediatric spasticity.
How Does Botox Work?
Botox creates a temporary paralysis that limits habitual facial expressions and involuntary muscle movements. Medical professionals typically apply a numbing cream to the area before administering the targeted injections to reduce pain and discomfort. The in-office process only takes a few minutes and has no post-treatment activity restrictions or downtime for recovery.
Botox requires several days to take full effect and lasts between three and six months for most patients. As the muscles regain their full range of motion, symptoms of health conditions or wrinkles and fine lines will return. Periodic touch-up treatments are essential to maintain your Botox results.
While Botox is a safe treatment when administered by trained professionals, it can cause some side effects, including:
- Swelling
- Bruising
- Redness
- Inflammation
- Flu-like symptoms
These effects are generally mild and resolve on their own. Consult your medical practitioner if you experience issues like drooling, muscle weakness, trouble swallowing or breathing problems — these could indicate the toxin has spread to unwanted parts of your body, which can cause severe complications.
Who Can Administer Botox?
Whether you want to restore your youthful appearance or treat the symptoms of a specific health condition, you should only trust a trained practitioner to perform your injections.
The following qualified professionals can safely administer Botox treatments:
- Doctors
- Nurses
- Dermatologists
- Cosmetic surgeons
- Dentists
When an untrained, unskilled injector provides Botox, improper placement, using too much of the product, injecting depth and technique become relevant concerns. Incorrectly injecting the toxin can lead to complicated adverse reactions. For safety and outstanding results, always partner with a trained professional.
Botox and Dentistry
While medical spas and plastic surgery clinics have offered Botox treatments for decades, dentists have extensive knowledge of facial anatomy and various conditions that affect oral health. They have the skills to target specific muscles while carefully avoiding blood vessels to ensure optimal results and minimal side effects.
Botox is more than a cosmetic treatment — many dentists use this toxin to address medical problems like tooth grinding and TMJ. Pairing it with dental treatments like implants and veneers can achieve ideal outcomes.
Though Botox can provide multifaceted benefits, not all dentists have received the in-depth training that qualifies them to use neurotoxins correctly. When choosing an injector, consider how you plan to use Botox. For example, if you have an overactive bladder, you should only receive treatments from a qualified doctor. In contrast, a plastic surgeon or dermatologist can minimize wrinkles, while a Botox dentist can address oral health concerns.
Why Select Dental Choice for Botox Treatments?
Dental Choice has provided exceptional dental care since 1990. Over the years, we have expanded to open multiple clinics across Alberta. Our Kingsway Dental Choice branch offers botox treatments for several health conditions.
We prioritize our patients’ needs and time, ensuring a pleasant and positive experience. We take the time to listen to our patients to fully understand their dental history, concerns and care needs. Whether you’d like to alleviate chronic migraine symptoms, rectify a crooked smile or treat a health condition like strabismus, our dentists have the essential skills and qualifications to administer Botox.
When visiting Dental Choice for Botox treatments, patients will receive a custom plan that considers time, costs and other individual needs. We follow the Alberta fee guide and are open in the evenings and on weekends to cater to all patients.
Schedule an Appointment Online With Dental Choice
Botox can alleviate symptoms that are otherwise tricky to manage. While TMJ disorder is one of many frustrating conditions that impact patients’ quality of life, Botox treatments offer a quick, minimally invasive solution. Dental Botox injections can manage conditions like bruxism and facial muscle spasms. Though the effects are temporary, maintenance injections provide long-term relief.
If you are considering Botox treatments, schedule a consultation at Dental Choice to learn more about how we can help you.