Botox Redux or Talking About Teeth with Dr. Nick Mobilia

Botox for Dentistry …

Of course you know that Botox is used to ease facial wrinkles and impart a more youthful look. You know that it’s used to treat muscle spasms and excessive sweating. But, did you know that Botox can also be used in dental applications? No? Neither did I.

I recently spoke with Dr. Nick Mobilia of Elite Dental Arts in NYC. Dr. Mobilia, who has been using Botox in his comprehensive dental practice for several years, is one of the few New York City dentists licensed to do so. I asked him how Botox is used for dental applications.

“Three of the most common conditions to treat with Botox are bruxism, or the subconscious grinding of teeth; Temporomandibular Joint Dysfunction (TMJ) and migraine headaches,” explained Dr. Mobilia. “Patients with bruxism are usually unaware that they grind their teeth. One big giveaway is that the cheek muscles become enlarged because they are being overused. When we inject Botox into those muscles, they become smaller. Botox blocks the release of a neurotransmitter called acetylcholine and helps make the muscles of mastication relax. While the mechanisms for TMJ may be the same for bruxism, we inject Botox into different sites. With TMJ, we inject into the temple area and the forehead. For migraine therapy, we inject in a circle around the head. We place the Botox in a continuous line from the forehead to the temple to the back of the head and also include the bruxism and TMJ areas.”

I’ve had the occasional bout of TMJ. It’s kept me awake for nights on end and the pain killer I was prescribed made me sleepy and unproductive for two days. “Certain medications affect the whole body and can make you drowsy,” explained Dr. Mobilia who added, “Imagine a pilot who suffers from TMJ. If we give a pilot Botox as an alternative to certain types of medications, it will act locally and won’t affect the whole system. There’s no drowsiness.”

But Botox can also be used for cosmetic purposes. If you’re unhappy with your smile because you feel it shows too much of your gum line, Botox can help. “People with a high lip line have a certain part of the face where the premaxilla bone is elongated. This can be corrected surgically but can be a super aggressive procedure. So instead, we inject Botox right below the nostrils which makes the orbicularis oris, the band of muscles right below your nose, relax. Your lip line remains at an aesthetically pleasing level. Without Botox, the facial expression rises up when you smile and reveals too much of your gum line.” Botox can also be used to hasten the process of adult orthodontics. “Sometimes when there’s a severe overbite and teeth have to be moved, we inject the lip area with Botox so there’s less resistance from the muscles of the lips as the teeth are aligned. With Botox, teeth can move a whole lot easier. The result is that adults wear braces for a shorter period of time.” Botox can help protect dental implants when they’re first inserted. “Whenever a patient receives dental implants, there is a healing period where implants would be best left unloaded and undisturbed. By administering Botox into the muscles of mastication, the chewing intensity is reduced.  As a result, the implants will be better protected because there will be less loading or stress on them that is often generated upon chewing.” Botox is, apparently, not just for wrinkles anymore.  Learn more about what Botox can do for your smile … To make an appointment with Dr. Mobilia, contact Elite Dental Arts: 9 East 45th Street, 6th Floor (Bet. 5th and Madison), NYC 10017 Phone: 212-681-0939 Email: drmobilia@EliteDentalArts.com Website: http://www.EliteDentalArts.com