Dental Botox®
Solutions for TMJ Disorder and Gummy Smile
Botox acts by blocking signals from the nerve to the muscle fiber, and this in turn allows the muscle to relax. The Botox is injected into the muscle of concern using a very small needle. The procedure is relatively painless and results typically last 2-4 months. Dr. Manor is a certified Botox provider.
Therapeutic Botox
Many people suffer from pain, clicking and locking in their jaw joint (also known as the temporomandibular joint or TMJ). This is referred to as temporomandibular disorder or TMD for short.
For many TMD patients, the muscle relaxation provided by Botox can greatly reduce jaw pain. Also, with less force on the teeth it can lower the risk of the negative side effects associated with clenching and grinding habits (tooth wear, cracks, etc). Aesthetically, patients may also notice a desirable slimming effect on the face as the overused jaw muscles (the masseter muscle) are allowed to relax and in turn shrink back to a normal size.
Therapeutic Botox is typically reserved for TMD cases where all other options (nightguard, physiotherapy, etc) have been tried and have not provided enough relief. TMD therapy is considered an off-label use of Botox because while some patients find incredible results, others see little to no improvements. For this reason, Botox is not considered a first-line treatment option, but when other options have failed or are not appropriate, then it is very reasonable to consider and can be very effective.
Dental Cosmetic Botox
Does your upper lip disappear when you smile or do your gums show more than you’d like when you laugh? You may be a candidate for dental Botox, which is a safe and effective way to correct a gummy smile. Within the scope of dentistry, general dentists can utilize Botox to treat this aesthetic concern of the mouth.
Botox acts to limit the upward pull of the lip muscles, allowing the lip to sit lower over the gums. Patients can smile naturally and typically will not notice any change in the overall function of their lips after this treatment. Keep in mind that there can be other causes of a gummy smile and different treatment options may be more appropriate for certain cases.
Ask us about dental Botox at your next visit or call us at 905-332-6433 to book a consult!