When you think about going to the dentist, you may imagine having a scale and polish. You may even be aware of more advanced treatments such as veneers in London. What you may not be thinking about is the fact that a trip to the dentist could involve completing your smile with a radiant face, thanks to the provision of facial aesthetics treatments. Some dental practices are moving into this field, because dentists are experts in facial anatomy, so they fully understand what is involved in carrying out delicate procedures that involve the tiny facial muscles. They also have an appropriate environment in which to safely carry out such procedures thanks to the high standards of health and safety that must be met in a dental practice. So, if you weren’t thinking about going to your dentist for facial treatment, perhaps it’s time that you did!
Treatments
There are two main treatments that can be found in dental practices for facial aesthetics: anti-wrinkle treatment and dermal fillers. If you find a dental practice with a wider variety of treatments, then this could be the one that stands out from the crowd for you, especially if you are looking for the latest treatments. However, anti-wrinkle treatments and dermal fillers have been used widely and are FDA approved. As such, they are considered safe with minimal risk to patients, provided that the person carrying out the treatment is fully trained and adheres to health and safety procedures. In the UK, there isn’t much regulation of this industry, so opting for a medically trained dentist over someone practising in their living room is probably a good idea!
Anti-wrinkle treatment
Anti-wrinkle treatment consists of injections, which contain botulinum toxin type A. This is an injectable solution that is administered into the facial muscles to block the nerve impulses, allowing the face to then relax and appear more youthful. The treatment takes just a few minutes to administer and there is no downtime required afterwards. There should also be no pain involved, so you could even go to your dentist during your lunch break. The results should be seen between 4 to 7 days after the treatment, and you can feel confident about your fresh face for 3 months, after which time further treatment is normally required to maintain the results. The beauty of the treatment not being permanent is that if you aren’t keen on the effects of it, then you can simply go back to how you were before by not having any further treatment.
Dermal fillers
Another option is to have dermal fillers, which also involves injections, but these are put into the facial muscles and the hyaluronic acid gels that they contain plumps up the lines, allowing the face to look more youthful. The body naturally produces hyaluronic acid and this gives the skin its elasticity. By creating hyaluronic acid gels, this boosts your skin’s supply of hyaluronic acid as our own natural production of it depletes with age. The treatment only takes a few minutes and you will have local anaesthetic to ensure that you don’t feel any pain. The results can last longer than anti-wrinkle treatments; 6 to 12 months, in fact! Dermal fillers can also be used for the lips, as well as facial, neck and hand contouring.
So, to find out more about the surprising work a dentist can do, why not book in for a consultation to discuss your goals for your smile – and your face?!