According to the American Association of Plastic Surgeons, 7.69 million Botox® procedures were performed in the U.S. in 2019. Many people think that Botox injections can only be administered by plastic surgeons or specialists, but general dentists are also great providers for Botox and dermal fillers. This is because dentists have extensive training in the musculature and boney anatomy of the head and neck. Their unique training and background provides them with the ability to achieve more precise and natural-looking results than other Botox® providers. To properly correct lip lines, puckered chins, and upside down or gummy smiles, it’s important that only the right facial muscles are treated. Failure to do so can result in frozen, strange or awkward results.
Dr. Alexandra Masek of Atlas Dental is a member of the American Academy of Facial Esthetics and has advanced training in providing both esthetic and therapeutic Botox® injections as well as dermal filler injections.
Botox® injections have wide applications for facial esthetics and treating head and neck-related pathologies including the following:
- Minimizing the appearance of crows feet, forehead wrinkles, and lip lines
- Treating chronic headaches resulting from muscle tension in the head, face, and neck
- Alleviating chronic jaw pain associated with temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorder
- Minimizing persistent clenching and grinding of the teeth
- Reducing the appearance of “gummy” smiles due to over-retracted upper lips
As mentioned above, lines and wrinkles are temporarily paralyzed with Botox® so that you can enjoy a smooth complexion. Botox® has also been found to be very effective in alleviating pain that originates from oral health problems. TMJ Disorder is a common oral health problem that causes patients pain in the jaw or facial muscles. With Botox®, Dr. Masek can relax the muscles that hurt so that you are not in constant pain. Bruxism is the name for grinding and clenching the teeth. Botox® can improve your symptoms by reducing the contractions of the mouth muscles involved in clenching and grinding. If you have any of the issues listed above, you should ask if Botox® could help your symptoms.