Botox injections prevent a muscle from moving for a limited time. These injections are commonly associated with smoothing wrinkles on the face, but did you know they’re also used to treat a variety of other conditions such as neck spasms, lazy eye, and overactive bladder?
In dentistry, Botox is highly effective in reducing symptoms caused by dental disorders and by overactive muscles of the head and neck. At our practice Dr. Messina may recommend Botox as part of the comprehensive plan for your mouth to provide you relief of related symptoms and to encourage the success of associated dental treatments.
Botox is approved in the treatment of migraines and headaches, and works by inhibiting the release of acetylcholine at the neuromuscular junction. Depending on the dose used, Botox is therefore able to reduce the intensity of the contraction of the muscle or eliminate the contraction altogether.
Its ability to prevent the powerful muscles of the jaw from contracting makes Botox highly effective at relieving pain in the jaw, face, head, and neck. In addition to relieving many symptoms of TMJ pain, Dr. Messina also uses Botox as part of a dental treatment plan to address heavy clenching and grinding – or bruxism – and associated wear and tear on the dentition.
Receiving Botox injections only takes a few minutes without the need for anesthetic or down time. And good news for the needle-phobic: Botox injections in our office are performed with a very fine needle and our patients report a virtually pain-free experience.
The effects of Botox last an average of 3-4 months. As the treated musculature regains movement, symptoms such as more clenching and grinding, tenderness of the jaw muscles, and headaches may return and require re-treatment.
Dr. Messina is AAFE and AACD trained in Botox for dental therapeutic indications as well as facial esthetics, and upon evaluating your unique set of symptoms will create a treatment plan for your care that meets your individual needs.
Don't hesitate to ask us at your next dental visit about Botox -- we're especially passionate about this treatment as both a preventive as well as a therapeutic measure in dentistry. And for those in our community who don't yet call our practice their dental home, we'd love to meet you! Call Carly or stop on by to find out how we may be a great fit for your Botox treatment and for all your dental needs.
We write a blog post every month to keep our patients and our community updated on important dental topics, so be sure to check back here often! And don't forget: we love your questions! We welcome discussion of these blog topics or anything you're curious about. Our patient family is the best part of our practice, and we are grateful for you!