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Botox

The perfect complement to the perfect smile.

Botox for Cosmetic

Dr. Brescia doesn't just simply inject a few vials of BOTOX® and then send you on your way; instead she will make a careful evaluation of your facial muscles and smile characteristics with a series of 29 photos taken at each visit. With precise records and documentation, Dr. Brescia is able to develop a personal treatment plan for every patient. She likes to fine tune the amount of BOTOX® necessary, ensuring very natural results and possibly a need for smaller amounts of BOTOX® at future visits.

BOTOX® is a naturally purified protein which relaxes facial muscles, reducing the appearance of aging by softening facial lines and wrinkles. It is highly effective for the treatment of "crow's feet" around the eyes and forehead furrows or frown lines on the forehead. When injected in tiny amounts, BOTOX® relaxes overactive muscles that cause these wrinkles and lines. Dynamic wrinkles are caused by repeated contraction of the muscles of facial expression. It is these dynamic wrinkles that are so effectively treated with BOTOX®. When young, our skin is more elastic and recovers well, bouncing back to a normal, smooth look. One aspect that Dr. Brescia is excited about is that - with well maintained treatments - over time, the muscle memory gradually gets erased, eventually preventing these wrinkles from returning.

The injection technique is nothing like injections used for dental freezing. Dr Brescia uses a tiny needle and a very gentle technique. Even anxious patients and those with dental phobias will be amazed at how comfortable the procedure is. The procedure is simple, proven safe, fairly painless, and takes only a few minutes. Results are usually seen within a few days. Treatments should be repeated every three to four months to prevent the return of these lines and wrinkles. No anaesthesia is required and you may resume normal activity immediately. In fact, you could return to work after a "trip to the dentist" and no one will know you had a BOTOX® treatment.

Wrinkles that Dr. Brescia treats are:

  • Vertical frown lines, such as those between the eyes
  • Forehead wrinkles
  • Crow’s Feet

In addition Dr Brescia can perform an eyebrow lift, resulting in a very attractive look.

BOTOX® can also be used as a treatment for migraine headaches and temporomandibular disorder, or TMD.

BOTOX® for Therapeutic Treatments

Long before BOTOX® Cosmetic injections were used to beautify the face, they were used for medical purposes. Spastic muscles or muscles that clench involuntarily can cause extreme discomfort and embarrassment. BOTOX® Therapeutic — delivered directly to problematic muscles via injections — can relax these muscles. Dr. Brescia can provide BOTOX® treatments to relieve TMD, parafunctional habits and chronic migraines and tension headaches.

BOTOX® for the treatment of Temporomandibular Disorders (TMD)

BOTOX® is used as an alternative treatment for TMJ (temporo-mandibular joint) disorders and associated jaw tension and pain. When injected into facial muscles afflicted with soreness and discomfort, BOTOX® relieves TMJ and jaw tension for many patients, providing substantial relief.

Located on both sides of the head at the point where the jawbone meets the skull, the temporo-mandibular joint (TMJ) is used during talking, eating, swallowing, and other everyday activities. If this joint becomes displaced or is overworked through excessive teeth grinding, a person may suffer severe tension headaches, as well as sharp pain in the jaw. BOTOX® relieves jaw tension by making muscles unable to engage in the powerful, often unconscious movement of the jaw that produces headaches and pain.

Only the areas injected with BOTOX® will be relaxed. BOTOX® treatment for TMJ therapy will not affect any other part of the body. The injections are mainly in the temporalis, frontalis and masseter. Additional sites may be injected with BOTOX® depending on the severity of the symptoms.

BOTOX® for Chronic Headaches

Tension headaches originate in the temporalis and masseter muscles, which are muscles involved in chewing. It is estimated that tension headaches account for 90% of all headaches.

Physicians discovered the link between BOTOX® Cosmetic and headaches in 1992, when patients reported experiencing fewer headaches following injections intended to reduce facial lines and wrinkles. This finding was confirmed by several clinical trials that followed— BOTOX® Cosmetic does provide relief to headache sufferers. Dr. Brescia considers BOTOX® to have the characteristics of an ideal medication to treat these conditions, as it is able to deliver specific muscle relaxation over a long time period, without side effects.

It may take several weeks following a BOTOX® injection for headache relief to be noticeable. The effects of BOTOX® are not permanent. For that reason, continued headache relief is achieved only by receiving additional injections every few months. Without these "boosters," it is likely that the headache symptoms will return.

BOTOX® for Migraine Headaches

There are many definitions of chronic migraines. One definition is experiencing headaches on more than 15 days per month, of which 8 or more of them meet the criteria for migraines or respond to specific migraine treatments. Chronic migraines are very disabling and affect about 2% of the general population. BOTOX® treatments can result in a dramatic reduction in the number of headaches experienced, and also a reduction in the severity of headaches.

It is not clear exactly how BOTOX® treatments help migraine headaches. When used for reducing wrinkles or treating certain medical conditions, BOTOX® blocks nerve impulses responsible for controlling muscles, thereby relaxing the treated area and preventing muscle contraction that can wrinkle the skin or induce spasm. However, with migraine headaches, there is often no muscle component. Scientists speculate that BOTOX® Cosmetic works by blocking a specific protein that carries the pain message to the brain. Most patients experience noticeable improvement within one or two days of their first treatment, although relief can take up to a week. Many people appreciate BOTOX® treatment rather than the standard migraine medications since BOTOX® does not cause side effects such as drowsiness.

BOTOX® for the treatment of Parafunctional Habits

Many people who have problems with grinding or clenching their teeth find relief when they protect their teeth with a night guard or a splint. However, some people are unable to tolerate a night guard. These people can benefit greatly from BOTOX® therapy as the need for a night guard can be eliminated. BOTOX® reduces the ability of facial muscles to engage in problematic grinding. A desirable effect of BOTOX® is the ability to erase certain muscle behaviours over time, effectively reducing the habit.

BOTOX® can reduce the biting force and so reduces the ability of patients to destroy their teeth through clenching and grinding. Dr. Brescia has seen many people with these oral habits so severe that they snap their teeth off at the gum line or grind them down so severely that the teeth can no longer be saved. BOTOX® treatment can help safeguard dental health, since excessive grinding can result in worn teeth and damaged gums that may require costly treatment. These are patients that Dr. Brescia is excited to help with this conservative and effective treatment.

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