BOTOX. It’s no longer the not-so-secret facial treatment reserved only for celebrities. Today, BOTOX is an option for anyone wanting to address certain cosmetic concerns or benefit from its therapeutic and medical effects. It’s a popular, effective, and convenient treatment for helping you achieve a more confident you.
And now guess what? You can visit your Henderson, NV orthodontist, Okuda Orthodontics, if you’re looking for the best BOTOX in Las Vegas. Dr. Brady Okuda now offers certified BOTOX services to complement our braces and Invisalign® treatments.
So What is BOTOX®?
Simply put, BOTOX is an injectable medicine that temporarily blocks the signal from the nerve to the muscle. It is a purified protein from the Clostridium botulinum bacterium. BOTOX placement is always at the area of concern — directly into the muscle. As a result, the targeted muscles don’t contract and they stay relaxed for the short term.
For cosmetic outcomes, BOTOX’s muscle-relaxing effects cause the skin over the injected facial muscles to stay smooth, allowing wrinkles to soften and preventing new ones from developing. If you’re using BOTOX for therapeutic or medical reasons, BOTOX helps combat severe or chronic muscle tension and pain.
Is BOTOX Safe?
You can rest assured that BOTOX is very safe. Made by Allergan Aesthetics, BOTOX has been approved by the FDA since 2002 for cosmetic and therapeutic use.
The dosages and units used in BOTOX treatments are well below dangerous. For example, it would take 2500-3000 units at once to deliver a lethal dose. A typical BOTOX treatment uses 50-100 units at most. About 6 million people have used BOTOX safely to achieve the results they wanted.
And who is BOTOX safe for? With a few exceptions, it’s safe for patients between the ages 18-65.
What Does BOTOX Treat?
As mentioned, BOTOX has two applications: cosmetic and medical. Dr. Okuda has been trained and is qualified to provide BOTOX for both. At Okuda Orthodontics, we use BOTOX for:
Cosmetic Concerns
It’s well known that BOTOX can help you look more youthful and refreshed. It’s a quick, non-surgical way to treat facial concerns in the forehead, neck, and around the mouth like:
- crows’ feet (lines at the outer edge of the eyes)
- “bunny lines” (lines around the nose)
- smile or laugh lines
- forehead lines
- the “elevens” (worry lines between the eyebrows)
- upper eyebrow area to lift droopy brows
- a dimpled chin
- a gummy smile
We should mention that BOTOX doesn’t “erase” your wrinkles but smoothes them out and minimizes their appearance. And there are two kinds of wrinkles — dynamic and static. BOTOX is effective on the first kind, but static wrinkles need other treatments like dermal fillers.
Medical Concerns
Although BOTOX is more well-known for treating the above cosmetic concerns, it’s also widely used for medical reasons related to muscle and nerve issues. You might be surprised to know that BOTOX can help with health problems like Bell’s Palsy, enlarged prostate, gastroparesis, excessive sweating, teeth grinding, rosacea, migraines, and eye disorders. At Okuda Orthodontics, we offer BOTOX for facial concerns only.
Sometimes the aesthetic and medical outcomes are one and the same. Like if you use BOTOX to treat forehead wrinkles, you might notice fewer chronic headaches — even if you didn’t get BOTOX for headaches in the first place. Whether you’re getting BOTOX for cosmetic concerns, medical reasons, or both, it’s proven that your BOTOX before and after will be a successful experience.
Certified BOTOX Service at Okuda Orthodontics
So why is Dr. Okuda now offering BOTOX at our Henderson, NV office? For starters, orthodontists have extensive training in facial anatomy, the nerves, and the muscles so they are a perfect fit for administering BOTOX. And as a board-certified orthodontist, you can trust Dr. Okuda to provide the highest quality of care. Pair that with our desire to offer a highly effective option for facial pain management and smile aesthetics, and offering BOTOX was a natural choice.
As well as BOTOX for facial wrinkles and lines, we offer BOTOX for:
A gummy smile – Some patients find they could be more confident in their smile if their upper gums showed less. If this sounds like you, we can improve your gummy smile with BOTOX to achieve a smile you’re proud of.
How do we do this? For a gummy smile, BOTOX is injected between your upper lip and nose, relaxing the muscles of the upper lip. This prevents the upper lip from rising too much when you smile so you’re not showing as much of the upper gums.
The impact on a gummy smile with BOTOX is almost instant, with the full effect happening by two weeks. One gummy smile BOTOX treatment typically lasts 3-4 months and is a great, non-invasive alternative to surgery. Like most BOTOX treatments, successive treatments will last longer.
Bruxism – Also called teeth clenching or teeth grinding, bruxism can cause facial pain that can be alleviated by BOTOX. Where does Dr.Okuda apply BOTOX for bruxism? The BOTOX injection site for bruxism is the masseter muscle, the large muscle that moves your jaw.
BOTOX for bruxism relieves jaw pain, wear and tear on your teeth, and the headaches often caused by teeth grinding. Sometimes it can even be more helpful than using a nightguard for reducing stress on the jaw.
TMJ Pain – For many, the worst part of TMJ disorder is the pain in your jaw muscles. As with bruxism, BOTOX helps relieve TMJ pain by relaxing the jaw muscles, giving them and the ligaments time to heal.
Migraines – Whether your migraines are caused by jaw pain or are unrelated, BOTOX for chronic migraines can really change your life. If you get BOTOX for migraines, injection sites are usually multiple — around the head and neck. Typically, you get an equal number of shots on either side of your head, but you can also be prescribed more in one area if that’s where your migraines are concentrated.
What is Getting BOTOX Like?
BOTOX at Okuda Orthodontics starts with an initial consultation and diagnosis, just like getting braces or Invisalign®. We can often move forward with treatment on the same day if you’re ready.
Does BOTOX Hurt?
At this point, you might be wondering, “Does BOTOX hurt?” After all, the idea of needles causes many people some anxiety. However, we assure you that BOTOX uses a very tiny needle and is virtually painless. A BOTOX shot feels like a bug bite or quick pinch. And in comparison to surgical options for treating things like facial aesthetics and pain, BOTOX is quick and easy, with little intrusion into your daily routine.
A BOTOX appointment is typically short — taking about 10 minutes. There’s no recovery time and you can go about your day as normal right afterwards. As for side effects, you might experience some redness or swelling at the site of injection, but this goes down quickly.
How Long Does Botox Last?
BOTOX typically lasts about 3-6 months. However, for some patients, BOTOX can last for longer — about 4-6 months. First-time BOTOX patients might see effects for a shorter time, but it usually lasts longer after the second treatment. Basically, the more often you get BOTOX, the longer the effects will last in between treatments.
How Much Does Botox Cost?
The cost of BOTOX depends on the issues it’s addressing and the strength or tension of your muscles. You’ll also want to remember that BOTOX is temporary, so you might need multiple treatments over time to get the outcomes you want: smoother skin, a more pleasing facial appearance, or less muscle pain in the case of migraines, TMJ, or bruxism.
BOTOX at Okuda Orthodontics For a More Confident You
Now that you know how BOTOX helps with cosmetic and medical concerns, contact us to find out your next steps. We’re big believers in empowering our patients, and with BOTOX, we can help you achieve your most confident you. Our BOTOX services can help you live pain-free and with a fresh face — to complement your dream smile!
Schedule a BOTOX consultation at our Henderson, NV office today.
