No one likes change, but it’s bound to happen. No matter how hard you try to stop it, everything is going to continue to progress. Dial back to a decade or two ago, it was hard to convince dentists that tooth whitening and orthodontic procedures were necessary for cosmetic reasons alone. The main focus of dentists back then was simply to make sure that their patient’s teeth were healthy and that nothing was wrong with them. Other concerns, such as how teeth looked were often overlooked or dismissed as long as the teeth were “healthy”.
Botox injections, or Botox for short, is used in treating all sorts of condition in the medical field, mainly because of how it can cause the temporary paralysis of muscle activity. This makes it very useful for cases such as cervical dystonia or repetitive neck spasms, excessive sweating and overactive bladder. Though, there are also cases where Botox was used in treating crossed eyes, as well as chronic migraines. But, what does that have to do with Botox earning a place in dentistry? It’s not like teeth have wrinkles, right?
These days, more and more dental professionals have realized that function and esthetic go hand-in-hand in achieving optimal health. Our faces and mainly, our jaws do have muscles and they’re prone to suffering from constant muscle spasms. Conditions such as bruxism, TMJ and others involving facial pain have been proven to benefit from Botox injections, though not all dentists are aware of this.
Safe for treating conditions involving facial pain, Botox injections may also prove useful in many other dental cases. Botox, along with dermal fillers, are used and have been effective to some extent in treating high line cases without having to resort to far more invasive and aggressive forms of treatment. In orthodontics, the teeth of patients with strong mentalis muscles are prone reverting back to pre-therapy positions. Botox can help with this by making the muscles weaker to allow more normal movement and prevent the undoing of the effects of the current treatment. Patients who are still getting used to dentures can benefit from Botox, especially if they suffer from strong and consistent muscle contractions
While there are certainly concerns about how Botox should only be administered by doctors, it’s worth noting that most states allow dentists to use Botox for both therapeutic and cosmetic purposes. Not only that, but local anesthesia, which is far more frequently used by dentists, is also a lot more dangerous and have greater potential for complications, as well as negative reactions compared to Botox or dermal fillers.
If you’re interested in Botox injections, contact Dr. Larry Lieberman, DDS at 727-785-8017 to schedule a consultation today. Or visit www.dentist-lieberman.com for additional information.
Dr. Larry Lieberman proudly accepts patients from Safety Harbor, Palm Harbor, Clearwater, Dunedin, Tarpon Springs and surrounding areas.
If you ask anyone to name one of their biggest issues are regarding the upkeep of their health, a large percentage of them will say, “I hate the dentist”. If you ask why that is, chances are the response will be one of two things: the needles or that numbness that seems to last long after the procedure is complete. Unfortunately, there are a lot of needles used in your typical dentist office, and in order to help relieve your anxiety, some type of sedation is administered during the visit. And for many, this makes something as simple as a