At Suncoast Dental Center, our dental team can offer you more than just a great grin. They also administer Botox, which can alleviate facial pain, smooth fine lines, and cosmetically enhance your smile. Botox provides quick relief and leaves you with a rejuvenated glow that helps you look and feel your best.
Botox, or Botulinum Toxin, is a cosmetic treatment for addressing wrinkles, frown lines, and other facial fine lines. The chemical is a neurotoxin derived from an anaerobic bacteria called Clostridium Botulinum. This neurotoxin prevents the release of acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter that facilitates the transfer of signals from the nerves to the muscle cells.
Dentists inject Botox into the affected region to block signals from the nerves to the muscles, thus stopping muscle contractions. This relaxes the muscles and reduces the prominence of fine lines like wrinkles and frown lines until they finally disappear, giving you a tighter-looking and youthful face.
Most Botox treatments can be done in under 15 minutes.
See real patient success stories.
The most significant benefit of Botox is that it reduces the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines to give your face a more youthful appearance. As we age, the decreased production of natural oils and the lack of collagen leads to wrinkles and other fine lines. Botox decreases the prominence of these wrinkles by relaxing the facial muscles and restoring your face to its youthful glory.
Botox is also a minimally invasive procedure ideal for patients with dental phobia and anxiety. The treatment involves injecting fine needles into the affected area, and patients will feel nothing more than a slight pinch. It’s also a fast treatment; patients should see results within three to eight days.
The first step involves discussing your cosmetic goals and expectations with your dentist. The dentist will also assess your dental and medical history before deciding on whether to proceed with the treatment. If deemed a suitable candidate, the dentist will prepare you for the treatment by cleaning the affected area and sometimes using an ice pack or topical anesthetic to numb the area.
The Botox injections form the core of the treatment. The dentist will inject fine needles into the affected area to administer the Botox. The number of injections you need depends on the treatment area and the extent of your wrinkles. The injections only take a couple of minutes.
Some patients might experience some soreness and sensitivity in the treatment area. The dentist might administer a topical anesthetic or use an ice pack to help with the pain. However, patients must avoid rubbing these areas since the neurotoxin might seep into unwanted regions of the face and cause serious issues.
While you can start seeing Botox results as early as three days following the procedure, it takes full effect after 14 to 18 days. Dentists recommend resting for the first few days after the treatment, but you can resume normal activity after a week or so. It’s also worth noting that Botox treatments aren’t permanent and only last a couple of months. The dentist will schedule follow-up treatments so you can maintain your face’s youthful appeal.
Yes, Botox is perfectly safe except for pregnant or nursing women and people with certain medical conditions or who take certain medications. Patients should also resist the temptation to rub the treatment area, or it might spread to unwanted areas and ruin your results.
Aside from addressing fine lines like wrinkles and crow’s feet on the face, Botox also addresses neck spasms, profuse sweating, lazy eye, and an overactive bladder. However, the procedure isn’t suitable for pregnant and nursing mothers or individuals with neurological disorders.