We explain how the Botox procedure works at SmileMore Dental Care
Surveys have revealed that:
- Over 75% of people don’t feel confident to smile in a photograph.
- Over 45% of people make judgements about people by the look of their smile.
- Over 75% of people think that a beautiful smile helps people psychologically.
- Over 65% of people think that an attractive smile helps romantically.
Knowing this probably explains the rise in facial aesthetic treatments over the past few years. We, therefore, thought it prudent to write an extensive blog post covering the top questions most people ask about Botox, the procedure and the problem is the treatment solves.
How does Botox® Work?
Botox® works by relaxing the muscles on the face that cause wrinkles. When we express ourselves, such as talking and smiling we constantly use our facial muscles which causes lines and wrinkles on the face.
Over the years these lines and wrinkles can become deeper and more prominent and are worsened by smoking, sun damage and loss of skin collagen and elasticity. Injecting small amounts of Botox®, a purified protein derived from Clostridium Botulinum, using tiny needles, the signals between nerves and the injected muscles are prevented from connecting, therefore, reducing the activity in the muscles that cause lines and wrinkles to form.
How long does the treatment take?
After a consultation to find out what you would like and find the best treatment tailored specifically for you, the treatment itself will take usually take no more than 30 minutes.
Does treatment with Botox® hurt?
This non-surgical treatment is done using very small, fine needles and local anaesthetic cream may be applied to the skin to make your experience as comfortable as possible.
After having the treatment you will be able to get straight back to your everyday tasks without having to miss out on work or any social occasion.
Is Botox ® suitable for everyone?
Botox® is very safe and has been used by qualified clinicians for many years.
However, we are not able to use Botox® in an area where there is a skin infection present or in individuals with known allergies to any of the ingredients in the wrinkle relaxing injection.
Patients with neuromuscular disorders such as Myasthenia gravis or Bell’s palsy may be at increased risk of serious side effects and should avoid Botox treatments. We would not advise Botox® treatment to those who are pregnant or breastfeeding.
What side effects may I experience?
Side effects with wrinkle reducing injections are relatively rare. About ten per cent of people say they get a headache within 24 hours of having the injections. Nobody knows why – it’s not necessarily that it causes the headache.
Headaches are normally short-lived, though, fading within 48 hours. Whenever you scratch or pierce skin enough to make it bleed, there is always a chance of inflammation. After your treatment you must leave your face alone – no makeup or touching for a good few hours. In some cases, the toxin can migrate and cause temporary weakness to nearby small muscles. In rare cases, there can be drooping of an eyelid or asymmetry of facial expression.
TREATMENTS WITH BOTOX ®
The treatment itself takes around 15-30 minutes to complete and after the treatment, you can drive or head back to work immediately, no recovery period is needed. It is an extremely safe procedure.
At SmileMore Dental Care we offer a range of treatments including:
Frown Lines
Frown lines can be seen as vertical and sometimes horizontal lines in between the eyebrows and are common in people who frown a lot or have been overexposed to the sun. To treat these lines, small injections are given in between the brow to give a softer, younger and happier look.
Forehead Wrinkles
Forehead wrinkles appear as horizontal lines on the forehead which are more prominent when you raise your eyebrows. Not only can we treat these lines but we can also if caught early (usually 20-30yrs) prevent them from forming as deep-set wrinkles.
Crow’s Feet
Crow’s feet are found in the outer corner of the eyes. They appear most prominent when smiling or laughing. They occur as the skin becomes less elastic with age combined with excessive sun exposure. Very tiny injections at the side of the eyes are very effective at smoothing out these ageing lines.
Smoker’s Lines
Smoker’s lines appear around the mouth above the upper lip. They can occur in non-smokers but are often more prominent in smokers. With a little simple treatment, we can help soften these lines to give you a softer more youthful look.
Marionette Lines
Botox® can be placed around the corners of the mouth alleviating the sad, drooping appearance that can occur with ageing.
Bunny Lines
Bunny lines are wrinkles at the top of the nose which can appear when squinting or frowning and can be effectively treated with Botox® injections.
Brow Lift with Botox®
Carefully placed injections can be used to lift the eyebrows to make the eyes look bigger, brighter and give you altogether a healthier glow. We can help create beautiful contours to eyebrows that may be naturally quite flat or straight.
Reducing gummy smiles with Botox®
“Gummy Smile” is a phenomenon that when some people smile, their upper lip elevates too far above their upper teeth, exposing gums and producing an unattractive smile. This happens due to several causes which can be assessed by at your free consultation. One of the causes is hyperactivity of the muscle which elevates the upper lip. Occasionally, the gummy smile is also aggravated by a thin upper lip that further contributes to the problem by exposing the upper gum even more.
Simply and safely we can help correct your gummy smile with Botox® by reducing the muscles strong pull on the upper lip. To make a thin lip look fuller you may also wish to have some dermal filler treatment.
Bruxism/ tooth grinding, with jaw ache and migraine treatments
Bruxism is a medical term that describes the act of grinding the teeth and clenching the jaw. Regular and persistent grinding of the teeth can result in an ache in the jaw, migraines, earache, disrupted sleep and can also contribute to the wearing down, darkening and breaking of the teeth. Most cases of Bruxism occur subconsciously during sleep.
It is usually associated with contributing factors, such as stress or anxiety. Severe bruxists often have over-developed muscles giving them a swollen square like face.
In fact, BOTOX is to be offered as a migraine treatment to people in the North-east. The NHS approved the use of Botox injections to treat chronic migraines in 2012 based on guidance published by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence.
And NHS Grampian is to offer the option of having the injections – more commonly used as a cosmetic procedure to battle wrinkles – for patients who suffer from “chronic” migraines
We have successfully treated and provided tremendous relief from jaw soreness, headaches, and prevented severe tooth wear and loss associated with bruxism for many patients with a combination of Botox® and splint therapy.
