There is a percentage of my patients who will travel a path of dental troubles their whole life. They start by restoring a broken tooth. Then they break another tooth. Ten years go by, and they have 8 or 10 crowns on their back teeth. Then they have a root canal or two. Then they lose a tooth or two because they break or they lose supporting bone and gum. I have witnessed patients who have had a crown or veneer break after we place it, and they need it replaced. And then it happens again.
Whether I see short-term problems or the slow, progressive debilitation over years, one thing is common. These recurring problems can be prevented if we recognize the destructive potential of our facial and jaw muscles. Biteguards just don't prevent the day-to-day stresses on dentistry and teeth. They mitigate the nighttime muscle activity.
Botox therapy for facial and jaw muscles can reduce the activity of the muscles that cause teeth and dentistry to be destroyed. Therapeutic use of Botox usually lasts 4 months, and can be readministered to maintain its effect.
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Friday, November 18, 2011
Botox Facts
Botox:
1. Lasts 3-6 months.
2. Can be scheduled without a consultation.
3. Treatment is completed in about 30 minutes.
4. Ice is applied before the Botox to keep you as comfortable as possible.
5. Blocks the signal to the muscles that contract with certain facial expressions.
6. Body will eventually re-route that signal and return to normal function.
7. Botox is purified protein. There are no live bacteria involved.
8. Muscle activity is decreased not paralyzed. Muscles are actually relaxed.
9. Simple tiny injections are made.
10. Botox is measured in units, and the amount needed depends upon severity of the patient’s needs.
11. There is minimal post-operative discomfort.
12. It takes 3-7 days to see initial effect and about 10-14 days for the full effect.
13. Avoid alcohol, exercise and excessive sun for the 1st 4 hours after treatment.
14. At 2 weeks, Botox is at its maximum uptake. If you don’t see results, return to our office at the 2 week point. We have all our patients back in two weeks to be sure they look and feel great. Slight enhancements can be done at that time if needed.
15. Botox can make you look refreshed, relaxed and less angry. Botox can also make you feel more relaxed and refreshed, because the body releases several key chemicals after therapy.
16. Possible side effects: nausea (flu like symptoms), eyelid droop or headache. These possible side effects are minimized by proper technique.
17. Botox effects are not permanent in most cases. You will likely return to your pre-treatment state with no accumulative side effects at all.
1. Lasts 3-6 months.
2. Can be scheduled without a consultation.
3. Treatment is completed in about 30 minutes.
4. Ice is applied before the Botox to keep you as comfortable as possible.
5. Blocks the signal to the muscles that contract with certain facial expressions.
6. Body will eventually re-route that signal and return to normal function.
7. Botox is purified protein. There are no live bacteria involved.
8. Muscle activity is decreased not paralyzed. Muscles are actually relaxed.
9. Simple tiny injections are made.
10. Botox is measured in units, and the amount needed depends upon severity of the patient’s needs.
11. There is minimal post-operative discomfort.
12. It takes 3-7 days to see initial effect and about 10-14 days for the full effect.
13. Avoid alcohol, exercise and excessive sun for the 1st 4 hours after treatment.
14. At 2 weeks, Botox is at its maximum uptake. If you don’t see results, return to our office at the 2 week point. We have all our patients back in two weeks to be sure they look and feel great. Slight enhancements can be done at that time if needed.
15. Botox can make you look refreshed, relaxed and less angry. Botox can also make you feel more relaxed and refreshed, because the body releases several key chemicals after therapy.
16. Possible side effects: nausea (flu like symptoms), eyelid droop or headache. These possible side effects are minimized by proper technique.
17. Botox effects are not permanent in most cases. You will likely return to your pre-treatment state with no accumulative side effects at all.
Facts About Facial Esthetics, Botox, and Dentistry
Some patients (and even other doctors) have asked us, "why should patients have a dentist provide therapeutic Botox and dermal filler procedures?"
1. Dentists study the facial, head, and neck muscles extensively during dental school. Dr. Rafoth is an expert in understanding these muscles and how they work.
2. Botox and dermal fillers are therapeutic service to treat deficiencies of the smile. Not all smile issues can be addressed when restoring teeth. The lips, cheeks, chin, and areas surrounding the mouth are an important part of smile design and balance. We are certified to perform this service, and covered under the Dental Practice Act to deliver this care.
3. Botox is therapeutic for chronic facial, head, and neck pain. We are certified to perform this service, and covered under the Dental Practice Act to deliver this care.
4. Many medical doctors are trained by dentists on how to give painless injections. The comfortable numbing Dr. Rafoth provides for dentistry is the same for Botox and dermal filler treatments.5. A lot of plastic surgeons hire aestheticians to treat their patients instead of seeing the doctor. Our patients will always be treated by the doctor, which means expert-level care by a board-certified provider.
6. Botox and dermal filler appointments can require anesthesia. These treatments can be combined with dental appointments, thus saving time and travel to multiple appointments.
Thursday, November 17, 2011
Botox for Craniofacial and Dental Pain Treatments
Grinding and clenching teeth is caused by a number of disorders. It is usually difficult to stop without intervention.
For most patients, a custom biteguard solves jaw (and sometimes head) muscle pain, eliminates restricted jaw movements, and reduces damage and sensitivity to teeth. In my experience, about 30% of those patients treated with biteguard appliances have continued pain (either migraine- or tension-related head, jaw, and neck pain), dental sensitivity, and continued destruction of teeth and dental restorations.
In our practice, we notice that many patients have daytime tooth clenching or grinding disorders that are difficult to treat with oral appliances; they have to speak with the public or clients, and wearing a daytime device isn't realistic. Other patients we see suffer from sleep breathing disorders. They may have continued jaw, head, and neck pain after undergoing C-PAP or oral appliance therapy. Some patients have chronic migraine headaches pain that aren't relieved by oral appliance alone. All of these types of patients continue to take medications, try other therapies (hypnosis, acupuncture, massage, chiropractic care), and continue to have frustrating pain.
Another category of patients are continual tooth clenchers and grinders without tooth, head, or neck pain, but they repeatedly break dental restorations or teeth. No matter what they do to wear a biteguard, they still destroy things.
There are common threads uniting all of these types of patients. They have a complex disorder called parafunction. (see the preeminent site for information about it here.) Another similarity in all of these patients is how they can treat the problem beyond a biteguard appliance. That therapy involves using botulinum toxin, commonly known as Botox.
Botox has been FDA-approved for use in head and neck pain and dental therapies for years. One of its many benefits is that it reduces the amount of muscle function responsible for head/neck/jaw pain and destruction of dentistry. The other effect of Botox, is that it reduces the long-term activity of these overactive groups of muscles, and can stimulate specific body chemistry associated with healing tissue and likely helps prevent the return of the muscular disorder. (one of many research references may be read here.)
Patients who undergo Botox treatments do not lose muscular control or have total paralysis and loss of motor control. Botox does not make people numb. There is no loss of sensation to touch or feel. The effect of Botox is to temporarily reduce the activity of a group of muscle fibers just enough to prevent the traumatic activity of the muscles from occurring.
Patients who undergo the treatment rarely need anesthesia. They may undergo several treatments, or may choose to have ongoing therapy. It has been found that many patients will undergo several treatments, and find that they do not have pain or destruction that returns after a few treatments. The average amount of the drug for each treatment is about 40-50 units of Botox. Patients can expect to have at least 3-4 treatments. The cost per unit in our practice is $11-13/unit.
Virtually every patient who undergoes Botox therapy needs to have undergone biteguard appliance therapy before Botox is considered. Contact us today to have a free consultation regarding your chronic pain and repeated dental damage.
For most patients, a custom biteguard solves jaw (and sometimes head) muscle pain, eliminates restricted jaw movements, and reduces damage and sensitivity to teeth. In my experience, about 30% of those patients treated with biteguard appliances have continued pain (either migraine- or tension-related head, jaw, and neck pain), dental sensitivity, and continued destruction of teeth and dental restorations.
In our practice, we notice that many patients have daytime tooth clenching or grinding disorders that are difficult to treat with oral appliances; they have to speak with the public or clients, and wearing a daytime device isn't realistic. Other patients we see suffer from sleep breathing disorders. They may have continued jaw, head, and neck pain after undergoing C-PAP or oral appliance therapy. Some patients have chronic migraine headaches pain that aren't relieved by oral appliance alone. All of these types of patients continue to take medications, try other therapies (hypnosis, acupuncture, massage, chiropractic care), and continue to have frustrating pain.
Another category of patients are continual tooth clenchers and grinders without tooth, head, or neck pain, but they repeatedly break dental restorations or teeth. No matter what they do to wear a biteguard, they still destroy things.
There are common threads uniting all of these types of patients. They have a complex disorder called parafunction. (see the preeminent site for information about it here.) Another similarity in all of these patients is how they can treat the problem beyond a biteguard appliance. That therapy involves using botulinum toxin, commonly known as Botox.
Botox has been FDA-approved for use in head and neck pain and dental therapies for years. One of its many benefits is that it reduces the amount of muscle function responsible for head/neck/jaw pain and destruction of dentistry. The other effect of Botox, is that it reduces the long-term activity of these overactive groups of muscles, and can stimulate specific body chemistry associated with healing tissue and likely helps prevent the return of the muscular disorder. (one of many research references may be read here.)
Patients who undergo Botox treatments do not lose muscular control or have total paralysis and loss of motor control. Botox does not make people numb. There is no loss of sensation to touch or feel. The effect of Botox is to temporarily reduce the activity of a group of muscle fibers just enough to prevent the traumatic activity of the muscles from occurring.
Patients who undergo the treatment rarely need anesthesia. They may undergo several treatments, or may choose to have ongoing therapy. It has been found that many patients will undergo several treatments, and find that they do not have pain or destruction that returns after a few treatments. The average amount of the drug for each treatment is about 40-50 units of Botox. Patients can expect to have at least 3-4 treatments. The cost per unit in our practice is $11-13/unit.
Virtually every patient who undergoes Botox therapy needs to have undergone biteguard appliance therapy before Botox is considered. Contact us today to have a free consultation regarding your chronic pain and repeated dental damage.
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