At Metropolitan Dental Arts, we provide Botox treatment for our patients in and around Brooklyn, NY. Botox is commonly used as a cosmetic procedure that can reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, thus producing an enhanced appearance through a minimally invasive procedure. In dentistry, Botox can be used as a therapeutic process that reduces the effects of teeth grinding, also known as bruxism.
To better understand how Botox can enhance your dental health, it may help to first understand what Botox is and what it can do to address your particular needs.
What is Botox®?
Botox is a purified protein used to address wrinkles associated with facial expression. It relaxes the muscles and smoothes out the overlying wrinkles. The most common areas of treatment are in the upper face. These include the horizontal lines seen on the upper forehead when one raises the brows, the vertical lines seen between the brows when one frowns, and the crow’s feet seen around the eyes when one smiles. Over many years of additional research and testing, Botox was discovered to serve many additional functions, including dental benefits.
Benefits of Botox® in Dentistry
Specifically, in the field of dentistry, Botox can be used to treat an array of conditions or needs. This includes the following:
- Temporomandibular joint disorders (TMD)
- Teeth Grinding
- Jaw Clenching
Over time, grinding and clenching may cause your teeth to wear down. They may become shorter and can eventually break. Bruxism can affect more than just your teeth– it can cause neck pain, stiffness in the jaw, headaches, and migraines. Botox can help alleviate the muscle soreness due to bruxism and it will remove the pressure on the teeth. Many people use splints and night guards to treat these problems and would be happy to know that there is another option!
Our team is prepared to treat patients’ cosmetic and dental needs in our office. For patients that are interested in learning more about Botox or discovering how its use can impact their dental needs, call our office today!
