Cosmetic Dentistry: Botox & Fillers

One of the more surprising parts of cosmetic dentistry is it’s inclusion of Botox. While it’s true Botox is often used for cosmetic and aesthetic purposes, it has also been found to be an effective treatment for a variety of medical conditions, such as migraines and grinding your teeth. 

When it comes to facial and oral Botox injections, at Arkansas Family Dental, your dentist is uniquely qualified to provide these services for medical or cosmetic reasons. Although dentists cannot administer Botox for all medical conditions, specializing in the head, jaw, and smile makes dentists some of the most reliable medical professionals to administer Botox injections.

The treatment does involve paralysis of muscles, but dentists worldwide perform the procedure daily with minimal risk. 

Cosmetic Botox 

Perhaps the most common use is aesthetic: A method of controlling fine lines and wrinkles on the face. As we age, our skin loses its elasticity, making wrinkles and other imperfections more obvious. Botox treatments decrease the rate your body changes, allowing you to retain a more youthful appearance longer.

Similarly, fine lines can cluster around the lips. Botox does not give that full, lucious look (you need fillers for fullness, but more on that later!), but it can limit the wrinkles that may result. Botox around the lips creates a natural-looking lip line and a younger, more perfect smile.

Medical Botox

Medical Botox is an effective treatment for many types of problems. By specializing in the head and jaw, qualified dentists are the perfect medical professional to assist with medical Botox related to the head and mouth. 

For example, grinding teeth is an issue for many sleepers. It causes unpleasant sounds, pain, headaches, and, when left untreated, wears down the enamel of the teeth to expose the inner dentin, causing sensitive, painful teeth. A Botox injection can actually relax the muscles that pertinent muscles, reducing grinding. 

Botox for migraines is another important use in dentistry. Eligible patients find relief through a series of regular Botox injections. As an added bonus, the areas required for migraine reduction also receive the aesthetic benefits of Botox injections!

What Are JUVÉDERM® Fillers?

JUVÉDERM® fillers are a similar method of cosmetic changes, but not quite like Botox. Juvederm comes in several different types, but it is essentially a form of injectable gel to improve plumpness or fullness in different areas. Sometimes these injections must be deep. 

JUVÉDERM® is only recommended for adults over the age of 21. It can be used to correct age-related reductions of volume in the cheeks or to augment the chin area to improve your profile. Other forms of JUVÉDERM® are injected into facial tissue to improve both severe and moderate folds or wrinkles (for example, nasolabial folds). JUVÉDERM® is also injected in the lips for lip augmentation or into the perioral area to correct perioral lines. 

Talk to your dentist about which JUVÉDERM® fillers are best for your aesthetic goals!