When thinking of Botox, you may not think about making an appointment with your dentist. However, this is a service that many dentists can provide. Additionally, your dentist is highly qualified to administer Botox treatments.
What Is Botox?
When you think of Botox, you may think of celebrities with frozen faces or stretched-out smiles. If you have that view, maybe you are against getting Botox. Who could blame you? However, Botox doesn’t paralyze your whole face or affect your smile, especially when you get it from a reputable Botox administrator. Simply, Botox is an injectable cosmetic procedure.
The drug comes from a toxin produced by the botulinum bacteria. Outside of medical or cosmetic settings, this bacteria can contaminate food or water. If ingested, you can develop botulism poisoning. This can cause paralysis or difficulty swallowing. However, this is not what you experience with Botox.
A medical professional will inject Botox into desired areas, limiting muscle movement. Specifically, Botox disrupts the chemical signals to the nerves. This prevents the muscles from moving.
Why Get Botox?
There are a variety of reasons why you might get botox—medically and cosmetically.
If you experience chronic headaches, Botox can help minimize your pain. According to research, Botox blocks the release of the chemicals that cause pain. Therefore, you no longer feel the pain from headaches. Botox does not affect the muscles; it treats the nerves.
Cosmetically, you can get Botox treatments to minimize the look of fine lines and deep-set wrinkles. Many people think that Botox paralyzes the muscles, but this is not true. Botox affects the nerve endings rather than the muscles. This means that you still have sensations across your face. However, you cannot move the muscles because Botox blocks the chemical signals.
Botox treatments only last about three months. If you enjoy the effects, you will need to make repeat appointments.
Why See A Dentist?
Typically, people think of going to a dermatologist. Yet, you can actually make an appointment with a participating dentist. Why would you choose to go to a dentist?
Dentists are not just experts with teeth. They spend years learning about the intricacies of the face, including the nerves and muscles. For example, they must know all about nerves when they perform a root canal or a tooth extraction. If they are not careful, they can cause their patients nerve damage. Every day, dentists deal with problems that affect the entire face.
Additionally, dentists are able to conceptualize what you want and do it. They perform cosmetic procedures daily, meaning they are more than capable of your Botox treatments. During your consultation, your dentist will hear your desires and be able to implement them.
Dentists already use Botox for other dental treatments. If you have a gummy smile, your dentist may use Botox to treat it. Therefore, they already have experience in using Botox on top of their facial expertise.