As surprising as it may be, dental Botox® is regularly used in dentistry for both cosmetic and therapeutic purposes. Dentists often incorporate dental Botox® into large treatment plans that target multiple things. Additionally, therapeutic dental Botox® can be used as a standalone treatment.
Botox® is a substance that derives from a toxin produced by the bacteria that causes botulism. The toxin causes paralysis that left unchecked, can spread through the body to cause death.
It is the paralytic nature of this toxin that makes Botox® useful for cosmetic and therapeutic dental applications.
Muscle contraction is great when it is necessary or voluntary. However, not so much when it starts to cause pain, as is the case with jaw clenching and another result, teeth grinding. Thankfully, therapeutic dental Botox® can be of help. Being a neurotoxin, small doses of dental Botox® will deactivate a specific nerve or nerve bundle. This, in turn, deactivates the muscle or muscles that the nerve(s) controls.
Nerves do more than just control motor function. They also transmit pain. When dentists use therapeutic dental Botox® to deactivate a particular nerve, they use it to stop muscle contraction and pain.
This is the logic behind the use of dental Botox® to treat jaw problems like:
In all these scenarios, dental Botox® keeps the jaw muscles from clenching. It also takes care of any facial pain caused by the jaw disorder. Dentists may use dental Botox® as a standalone therapeutic treatment for jaw problems or they may add it to a larger treatment plan.
The paralytic nature of Botox® makes it a perfect pharmaceutical splint. This means that dental Botox® can keep a particular area of the mouth from moving, just like a splint immobilizes a finger or a leg.
Dental implant surgery is a great example. Once an implant is placed in the jaw, it should remain immobilized to allow the bone to heal around the rod. Dentists can use dental Botox® to immobilize the implant site. They may choose this option if their patient has a loaded implant and/or to improve the chances of implant success.
By the same logic, oral surgeons can use therapeutic dental Botox® as a splint after jaw surgery. It becomes part of the treatment plan that minimizes setbacks during the healing process.
So far, therapeutic dental Botox® sounds great, but not all people are good candidates for the treatment. A dentist will recommend alternatives to patients that fall into one of the following categories:
Want to learn more about the use of dental Botox® for therapeutic purposes? Reach out today to get started.
Request an appointment here: https://www.smilesbyjulia.com or call Smiles By Julia at (954) 493-6556 for an appointment in our Fort Lauderdale office.
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