{"id":647,"date":"2016-03-21T09:56:51","date_gmt":"2016-03-21T16:56:51","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dentox.com\/botox-edu-news\/?p=647"},"modified":"2015-12-26T16:54:12","modified_gmt":"2015-12-27T00:54:12","slug":"botox-in-any-dental-office","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dentox.com\/botox-edu-news\/botox-in-any-dental-office\/","title":{"rendered":"Botox In Any Dental Office"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"DentalIt\u2019s no exaggeration to say Botox is one of the most popular esthetic treatments available today. \u00a0Injections of botulinum toxin A have been used for more than two decades to minimize frown lines and smooth wrinkles. \u00a0Botox is by far the most frequently performed cosmetic procedure in the country. \u00a0The American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery estimates that in 2008 alone, nearly 2.5 people received Botox injections, nearly a quarter of all cosmetic procedures for that year. \u00a0Botox has a safety record that surpasses that of nearly every other medication available.<\/span><\/p>\n

BOTOX BASICS<\/span><\/h2>\n

Botox is the brand name given to a purified protein made using botulinum toxin, most frequently botulinum toxin A. \u00a0There are thousands of articles in scientific and medical literature that support its use both in therapeutic and cosmetic applications. \u00a0Within a few hours of Botox being injected into the muscles of the face it attaches to the endings of the nerves that control the muscles. \u00a0Over the next two to ten days, the Botox begins to block transmission of nerve signals that cause the muscles to contract. \u00a0Wrinkles are caused by contractions of the muscles under the skin, and then they cease to contract, the lines will begin to smooth out. \u00a0Botox only affects the motor nerves, leaving the sensory nerves unaffected so there is no loss of sensation. \u00a0Botox continues to block the nerve signals for about three to four months. \u00a0This is affected by factors such as the amount of the product used, how quickly the patient metabolizes the toxin, and the patient\u2019s lifestyle choices. \u00a0As the effects wear off, wrinkles will begin to reappear, and the patient will need to be retreated.<\/span><\/p>\n

The way in which Botox works is a big reason for its safety record. \u00a0First, treatment with Botox is localized, so the effects, along with any side effects, are typically only seen in the treated area. \u00a0Second, the product is, by its very nature, temporary. \u00a0Once Botox has worn off, it and its effects are gone completely. \u00a0This is unusual in the realm of dentistry, where most treatments are intended to last long term. \u00a0The biggest exception to this is teeth whitening, which needs to be repeated periodically.<\/span><\/p>\n

FACIAL ESTHETICS<\/span><\/h2>\n

Botox is most often used to erase or minimize facial wrinkles found on the forehead and between and around the corners of the eyes. \u00a0These areas are the ones most commonly treated by Botox, though it can also be used in other areas.<\/span><\/p>\n

DENTAL USES FOR BOTOX<\/span><\/h2>\n

\"DentistCurrently about 7-8% of dentists in North America offer cosmetic treatments with Botox to their patients and this number is growing. \u00a0As more dentists offer the procedures, more innovative uses are being developed. \u00a0Many dentists are still unaware of just how many benefits Botox can offer as a complementary treatment in both dentistry and esthetics. \u00a0Botox has been found to be benefits as an adjunct therapy for cases of TMJ, bruxism, and facial pain that do not respond to traditional treatments. \u00a0Because it blocks nerve signals, Botox is effectively a muscle relaxer. \u00a0In doses half of those used for esthetic applications, Botox can reduce the muscle contractions that cause TMJ and facial pain, offering substantial pain relief. \u00a0Every dentist has seen at least a couple of TMJ patients who, despite appliances and even entire mouth reconstructions, continue to struggle with pain. \u00a0Botox can significantly reduce, and even eliminate, facial pain for many of these patients.<\/span><\/p>\n

Botox is frequently used alongside dermal fillers to resolve cases of high lip lines without surgery. \u00a0Traditionally, these cases have been most often treated surgically. \u00a0A dentist would raise the height of the gingiva by performing a periodontal flap surgery with both osseous reduction and crown lengthening. \u00a0This would be followed by crowns and a bridge in order to improve dental esthetics. \u00a0Even the newest and most inexperienced dentist knows just how aggressive this type of treatment would be. \u00a0Very few dentists would choose treatment like this for themselves, yet it is what is most often offered to patients. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Using a little Botox to weaken the muscles around the mouth and a bit of dermal filler to augment the lip, one can achieve results just as good as with surgery without the expense, pain, or recovery time associated with surgery. \u00a0Of course, it\u2019s important to approach the procedure with caution so as to maintain normal lip function, including enunciating, smiling, and eating. \u00a0When done well, the lips cannot be raised as high, but maintains the ability to function normally.<\/span><\/p>\n

As with any treatable condition, it is important to provide the patient information, including risks and benefits, for all alternatives. \u00a0Even the aggressive treatment has its advantages, primarily that the treatment is permanent. \u00a0The disadvantages, of course, are initial cost, the number of appointments, potential complications, possible sensitivity, possible need for eventual endodontic therapy, and possible need for repeat surgery, should the gingiva begin to recede. \u00a0The advantages of treatment with Botox and dermal filler are near-immediate results, no need to remove tooth structure, minimal discomfort, no recovery time, and minimal risk of complications. \u00a0The disadvantages are the need for repeated injections every four to six months and the cost associated with regular retreatment. \u00a0It makes little difference to the dentist which treatment option the patient chooses, but it certainly offers more options.<\/span><\/p>\n

A BEAUTIFUL SMILE MEANS MORE THAN BEAUTIFUL TEETH<\/span><\/h2>\n

This is just one example illustrating the importance of Botox and dermal fillers, along with more traditional options such as veneers and resins, to esthetic dentistry. \u00a0As important as straight, white teeth, the soft tissue around the mouth is vital to a beautiful smile. \u00a0Dentists have developed a teeth-centric mindset that it is easy to forget that the area around the mouth is just as important for an esthetic smile. \u00a0Have you ever noticed a dental case involving a patient with teeth that are perfectly straight and white in the middle of a face with thin, wrinkled lips and deep lines around the mouth? \u00a0It would not be inaccurate to suggest that these patients have beautiful teeth, but not necessarily a beautiful smile.<\/span><\/p>\n

A number of other dental applications have been developed for Botox, including complementing other therapies by retraining muscles. \u00a0Moving the teeth orthodontically is easy, but if your patient has strong muscle movement, the teeth will eventually slip back. \u00a0Botox can weaken these muscles so they can be retrained to more optimal movement. \u00a0As an adjunct therapy, it is a good option for those patients that have experienced orthodontic relapse as a result of overactive muscles.<\/span><\/p>\n

Botox is also helpful for patients who have just been fitted with new dentures, especially if they have been without teeth for a long time or have old dentures that are overclosed. \u00a0\u00a0Even dentures that fit perfectly can be difficult for a patient to get used to and keep in the mouth if the patient has strong muscle contractions.<\/span><\/p>\n

As we age, the corners of the mouth start to droop. \u00a0When Botox is injected into the muscles in this area, they will relax, allowing the corners of the mouth to lift. \u00a0Botox can also help erase the wrinkles around the mouth caused by action of the orbicularis oris muscles. \u00a0These lines are often referred to as smokers\u2019 wrinkles, though nonsmokers are just as likely to be affected. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

DENTISTS ARE SPECIALISTS IN THE ORAL AND MAXILLOFACIAL AREA<\/span><\/h2>\n

While the number of dentists who offer Botox and dental fillers is growing, the number is still quite small. \u00a0This is due to the prevailing misconception that these therapies are outside the scope of dentistry practice. \u00a0On the contrary, currently half of US states, as well as some Canadian provinces allow dentists to administer the injections for all oral and maxillofacial applications. \u00a0In states where it is not currently allowed, dental associations are working to change legislation. \u00a0Readers need to be familiar with the laws regarding scope of practice in their area.<\/span><\/p>\n

Botox is frequently offered by many healthcare providers, including plastic surgeons, dermatologists, podiatrists, OB-Gyns, ophthalmologists, physicians\u2019 assistants, nurses, and even medical estheticians, who are often not medically trained. \u00a0It is time for the world of dentistry to acknowledge that dentists are far more knowledgeable and proficient in oral and maxillofacial areas than any of these professions. \u00a0Dentists are also experts regarding the facial muscles that are most the targets of these treatments.<\/span><\/p>\n

Opponents of Botox and dermal fillers in dentistry argue that are a medical treatment that should only be performed by physicians. \u00a0While the premise has merit, the conclusion is based on an assumption that dentists are not real doctors, which is patently untrue. \u00a0Dentists routinely inject local anesthetic into patients. \u00a0These local anesthetics are no less medicinal than Botox, and have potential systemic complication. \u00a0As a dentist, injecting local anesthetics is second nature and you are confident in your ability to manage any complications, which have the potential to be far more severe than any seen with Botox or dermal fillers. \u00a0With a little training, you can be just as confident in your ability to administer Botox and dermal fillers as you currently are with local anesthetics. \u00a0Having trained hundreds of healthcare professionals of all stripes, I can confidently say that dentists have the easiest time learning to perform these treatments, are realistic and conservative when administering the injections, and are well qualified to manage any complications when giving injections in the head and neck areas.<\/span><\/p>\n

Another common misconception is that learning to administer Botox and dermal fillers is a skill that takes months to learn. \u00a0Many dentists believe that plastic surgeons, dermatologists, and other healthcare professionals that offer the treatments only do so after extensive training as part of their medical residencies. \u00a0This could not be further from the truth. \u00a0Having spoken and worked with many healthcare providers, I have learned that, unless a residency has a cosmetic element, the topics are barely touched on at best. \u00a0Most healthcare professionals who administer the injections attend courses that last as little as a day or two to learn the skill before adding it to their practices. \u00a0Many nurses who perform the procedure do not even attend a course; they receive their training on the job. \u00a0Some states allow nurses and physicians\u2019 assistants to offer not just Botox and dermal fillers, but also sclerotherapy, laser and chemical peels, and mesotherapy without physician supervision. \u00a0Should dentists, with their specialized medical training, be considered to be less qualified? \u00a0I don\u2019t believe I\u2019m exaggerating to say we are far more qualified. \u00a0It is important for dentists to rethink the profession and its place in the medical arena and stop letting politics dictate esthetic facial procedures.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"botox<\/p>\n

TRAINING IS THE KEY<\/span><\/h2>\n

Hands on training is vital to learning not just how to perform these procedures, but how they can be used in conjunction with more traditional dentistry. \u00a0Generally speaking, dentists finish training more proficient in performing these procedures on patients than any other healthcare profession. \u00a0Having trained many healthcare providers, it has become apparent that dentists have such detailed knowledge of facial anatomy, and are already so skilled at administering injections, that they are the best qualified to provide the treatments, along with the dramatic effective they can provide, to their patients.<\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s time that we, as dentists, extend ourselves to be able to offer our patients all possible options. \u00a0Botox and dermal fillers are conservative, minimally invasive, and versatile treatment option that can expand the benefits we can offer our patients. \u00a0They should be seen as a potential extension of where the dental industry is headed. \u00a0The procedures are not difficult to learn or to perform with proper training. \u00a0Statistics show that patients are seeking out these therapies and would be thrilled to be able to have them done at the same time as their regular dental appointments. \u00a0Botox and dermal filler therapies are an ideal addition to any dental practice. Sign up for our Botox Training<\/a> & Dermal Fillers Training <\/a>Programs<\/b>.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

It\u2019s no exaggeration to say Botox is one of the most popular esthetic treatments available today. \u00a0Injections of botulinum toxin A have been used for more than two decades to minimize frown lines and smooth wrinkles. \u00a0Botox is by far the most frequently performed cosmetic procedure in the country. \u00a0The American Society of Aesthetic Plastic […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":648,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-647","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-botulinum-toxin"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\n","aioseo_head_json":{"title":"Botox In Any Dental Office - Botox Training & Education","description":"It\u2019s no exaggeration to say Botox is one of the most popular esthetic treatments available today. Injections of botulinum toxin A have been used for more than two decades to minimize frown lines and smooth wrinkles. Botox is by far the most frequently performed cosmetic procedure in the country. The American Society of Aesthetic Plastic...","canonical_url":"https:\/\/dentox.com\/botox-edu-news\/botox-in-any-dental-office\/","robots":"max-image-preview:large","keywords":"","webmasterTools":{"google-site-verification":"0LQ9U4ZbymMUaFOAh_wz7tuMMW7McI3YY774deeNuOA","miscellaneous":""},"schema":null,"og:locale":"en_US","og:site_name":"Botox Training & Education","og:type":"article","og:title":"Botox In Any Dental Office - Botox Training & Education","og:description":"It\u2019s no exaggeration to say Botox is one of the most popular esthetic treatments available today. Injections of botulinum toxin A have been used for more than two decades to minimize frown lines and smooth wrinkles. Botox is by far the most frequently performed cosmetic procedure in the country. The American Society of Aesthetic Plastic...","og:url":"https:\/\/dentox.com\/botox-edu-news\/botox-in-any-dental-office\/","og:image":"https:\/\/dentox.com\/botox-edu-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/11\/Depositphotos_9361987_s-2015.jpg","og:image:secure_url":"https:\/\/dentox.com\/botox-edu-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/11\/Depositphotos_9361987_s-2015.jpg","og:image:width":500,"og:image:height":333,"article:section":"Botulinum Toxin","article:published_time":"2016-03-21T16:56:51+00:00","article:modified_time":"2015-12-27T00:54:12+00:00","article:publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/dentoxcourse"},"aioseo_meta_data":{"post_id":"647","title":null,"description":null,"keywords":null,"keyphrases":null,"primary_term":null,"canonical_url":null,"og_title":null,"og_description":null,"og_object_type":"default","og_image_type":"featured","og_image_url":null,"og_image_width":null,"og_image_height":null,"og_image_custom_url":null,"og_image_custom_fields":null,"og_video":null,"og_custom_url":null,"og_article_section":"Botulinum Toxin","og_article_tags":null,"twitter_use_og":true,"twitter_card":"default","twitter_image_type":"default","twitter_image_url":null,"twitter_image_custom_url":null,"twitter_image_custom_fields":null,"twitter_title":null,"twitter_description":null,"schema":{"blockGraphs":[],"customGraphs":[],"default":{"data":{"Article":[],"Course":[],"Dataset":[],"FAQPage":[],"Movie":[],"Person":[],"Product":[],"ProductReview":[],"Car":[],"Recipe":[],"Service":[],"SoftwareApplication":[],"WebPage":[]},"graphName":"Article","isEnabled":true},"graphs":[]},"schema_type":"default","schema_type_options":null,"pillar_content":false,"robots_default":true,"robots_noindex":false,"robots_noarchive":false,"robots_nosnippet":false,"robots_nofollow":false,"robots_noimageindex":false,"robots_noodp":false,"robots_notranslate":false,"robots_max_snippet":null,"robots_max_videopreview":null,"robots_max_imagepreview":"large","priority":null,"frequency":null,"local_seo":null,"breadcrumb_settings":null,"limit_modified_date":false,"ai":null,"created":"2022-01-30 17:46:46","updated":"2025-06-04 12:40:25","seo_analyzer_scan_date":null,"focus_keyword":null,"additional_keywords":null,"truseo_locale":null},"aioseo_breadcrumb":"

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