Providing Botox in Ann Arbor, MI

Gentle Dental Associates would like to announce that we are now administering Botox for our patients! Because this exciting practice is new not only to our office but - in the minds of many patients - also to the field of dentistry, we understand you may have some questions. We would like to take the time to inform you about Botox and about why your general dentist is a great option!

What Uniquely Qualifies A Dentist To Administer This Procedure?

When we hear about cosmetic procedures such as Botox, we automatically think of a plastic surgeon, not a dentist. It may seem strange for a dentist to give Botox treatments. However, it couldn't be a more perfect fit. Dentists have a lot of expertise in the oral/maxillofacial areas of the human body. In fact, dentists may be more qualified than any other health care provider with regard to Botox because they administer facial injections more often than any other healthcare provider and are very familiar with the aesthetics of facial anatomy. Dentists are trained experts in mastication and facial expression muscles. Dermatologists and plastic surgeons may have been the first to train and integrate Botox, but that does not mean that they are specialty procedures limited to such providers. In fact, learning to administer Botox only requires 1-2 days of training for any health care provider. Getting these procedures done with a dentist may save patients from pain as well; because dentists are proficient with facially injected anesthetics, they can make these procedures more comfortable.

What is Botox?

Botox is a very popular aesthetic treatment used for treating frown lines and smoothing facial wrinkles - especially in the forehead, between the eyes, and at the corners of eyes. In fact, it is the most commonly performed, minimally invasive cosmetic procedure in North America. It is a form of purified protein, specifically BTX-A - which is the most common and has several thousand articles in medical and scientific literature supporting its use.

Botox is injected into facial muscles and, within a few hours, it attaches itself to nerve endings of motor muscles. This affects nerve transmission to these muscles. Once these endings are interrupted, muscles cannot contract, thereby ceasing the dynamic motion that causes wrinkles in the skin. Approximately 3-10 days after treatment, skin above motor muscles becomes nice and smooth with no loss of sensory feeling. The effect last approximately 3-4 months. Very rarely do adverse reactions come about because of Botox injections. These reactions are far less severe than those associated with common local anesthetics.

Cosmetic Dental uses for Botox

Botox is often used as a nonsurgical alternative to gummy smiles, which would otherwise require extensive and expensive cosmetic dentistry. The advantages? Virtually immediate results in one appointment, with no removal of tooth structure. Fixing teeth cosmetically is just one facet of creating a beautiful smile; Botox can help complete your look!

Dental Treatment Uses for Botox

Botox can be used by dentists to treat TMJ and bruxism to relieve facial pain. Botox is a muscle relaxer which reduces the intensity of muscle contractions that contribute to such problems. Botox can also be used to retrain muscles during orthodontic therapy, so that strong to severe muscle movement doesn't cause teeth to relapse after treatment. This is because Botox reduces the intensity of muscle movement post orthodontic treatment and over time. Botox can also help those with dentures get used to them, if they have strong irregular muscle contractions.