Botox

Facial discomfort and jaw pain can take over your life if you don’t act fast. Fortunately, the dental team at Proud to Smile Dentistry in Bernardsville, New Jersey, has a surprising solution to relieve your facial sensitivity and aching jaw: Botox®. That’s right, Botox! Patricia Swaintek-Lamb, DMD, Karima West, RDH, and the team use this common cosmetic procedure to treat various facial issues, from teeth grinding and headaches to a wide jaw. Call Proud to Smile Dentistry, or book your appointment online to learn more.

What is Botox?

Botox is an injectable drug that's derived from a toxin produced by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum. Botox blocks nerve function in places it's injected, which paralyzes or reduces the activity of muscles. This treatment helps control the muscles that cause involuntary spasms, clenching, or grinding.

What dental issues can Botox treat?

Botox can be used to treat both the health and appearance of your mouth, including:

• Teeth clenching and grinding
• Abnormally large masseter (jaw) muscles
• Gummy smile
• Lip deformities
• Jaw muscle spasms

 If you're curious about botox, discuss your condition with Dr. Swaintek-Lamb to decide if this treatment can help.

Can Botox improve my smile?

Yes! Botox has several smile-improving uses to make you feel confident and look radiant. Dental black triangle spaces and gummy smiles are just two examples of dental conditions that can benefit from Botox treatments.

If you have spaces where your teeth don't touch, and your gum is slightly receding, you may feel food get stuck in these spaces. If you cannot clean these areas properly, you may be at risk for gum disease later on. Botox injections can help to fill in these spaces.

A gummy smile occurs when you have a lot of gum tissue exposed when you grin. This effect can happen because of hyperactive lip muscles. Botox is used on overactive lip muscles to reduce the appearance of your gums when you smile.

How is Botox used with dental implants?

A successful dental implant procedure requires that your jawbone accepts your new artificial tooth root. However, this doesn't happen every time.

Having strong jaw muscles that don't readily allow for an implant can hinder your plans for restoring your smile with dental implants. Botox treatments can help release the tension in these muscles so your implants can be appropriately set in your jawbone.

Can Botox help with headaches?

If you've struggled with headaches, you may want to talk with the Proud to Smile Dentistry team. Often, headaches can be caused when you clench or grind your teeth. This can lead to some unpleasant symptoms down the road, like chronic headaches.

Botox relieves the muscles involved in these behaviors and reduces headache pain. When clenching and grinding halt, so does unwanted wear and tear on your teeth. 

If you want to learn more about how Botox can help with your dental concerns, schedule a consultation with Proud to Smile Dentistry by calling or booking online.