Why Would a Dentist Recommend Dental Botox®?

Botox® gives dentists a minimally invasive way to treat issues like temporomandibular joint disorders, gummy smiles, and teeth grinding. Botox® has been mainly used to address cosmetic issues like fine lines and wrinkles developing in a person’s space. However, the botulinum toxin that makes up these Botox® treatments was developed mainly for medical therapeutic uses.

The Food and Drug Administration initially approved Botox® for treating medical conditions like strabismus, a condition that leads to abnormal eye alignment. It is still used to address a wide range of medical issues, but it is most well known for its cosmetic uses. It is an effective way to reduce signs of aging like wrinkles and fine lines.

Reasons a dentist might recommend Botox® injections

Some of the reasons a dentist might recommend getting Botox injections to a patient include:

• Gummy smile: This condition is characterized by too much of a person’s gum tissues being exposed when they smile, making their teeth appear abnormally short. It can be caused by several factors, including hyperactive lip muscles that reveal too much gum tissue when they smile. Hyperactive muscles can be temporarily paralyzed with Botox injections, giving the patient a more natural-looking smile
• Temporomandibular joint disorders: The temporomandibular joints are the hinge-like, sliding joints that attach the lower jaw to the rest of the skull. They are activated whenever the mouth is opened or closed. TMJ disorders can be caused by the hyperactive muscles around the jaw putting tremendous stress on the temporomandibular joints. Such cases can be treated with Botox injections
• Teeth grinding: Teeth grinding is an involuntary grinding of teeth. It typically occurs while a person sleeps, and many people are unaware they have the condition. Teeth grinding can be caused by various issues, including hyperactive muscles. Botox can be used to paralyze such muscles, alleviating the effects of teeth grinding
• Repositioned lip muscles: Wearing dentures can lead to some muscles around a person’s lips becoming repositioned. Botox can be used to retrain and relax these muscles, so the patient’s dentures fit better

The Botox process

Getting Botox treatments from a dentist can be completed in as little as 10 minutes. Dentists have extensive knowledge of craniofacial structures, so they are able to perform the injections efficiently while minimizing pain. The dentist typically applies a topical anesthetic on the patient’s face to numb the area being worked on. Tiny needles are used for the treatment, so the patient does not feel significant pain.

The patient might feel slight discomfort after the anesthetic wears off, but that typically goes away within a few hours. Patients should avoid rubbing or touching the area to avoid bruising.

Ready to get started?

Botox injections allow dentists to tackle issues like teeth grinding, a gummy smile, and temporomandibular joint disorders without performing invasive treatments. Give us a call or visit our Springfield Township clinic to learn more about dental Botox treatments.

Request an appointment here: https://smilowfamilydentistry.com or call Smilow Family Dentistry, P.C. at (973) 379-2202 for an appointment in our Springfield Township office.

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