Botox From My Dentist – Aging Beautifully

June 27, 2019

Some of you may be wondering why I would get botox from my dentist. There was a time I would question this myself.

I have been having botox since I was in my 30’s. I have had it done by dermatologists and by plastic surgeons. Most of my results were great but I have had results that were not so great too. In fact, one time I let an anesthesiologist inject my lips with filler which was a disaster.

Questions To Ask Before Letting A Doctor Give You Botox Or Filler

Where did you do your training? There are so many different places that doctors, dentists, nurses can train. But like most things, not all training is the same. I read one article that said, “90% of all negative side effects are injector related.” Some courses spend as much as 16+ hours on anatomy and some as little as 5 hours. Now, I don’t know about you but I would rather have someone that has spent a good bit of time on the anatomy of the face. In fact, when I asked my dentist about this, he said that in dental school you spend a year on the head versus in medical school where they are required to learn the entire body in Gross Anatomy Classes.
What level is your training? There are different levels of training.
How long have you been doing botox and/or filler?
Would you do this on your own family?

Dr. Koch’s Training

Dr. Koch began his Botox (and filler) training at UAB School of Dentistry about 5 years ago. This very in-depth, hands-on program focused heavily on the anatomy, including working in the cadaver lab to become very familiar with the anatomy and injection techniques and potential complications. In addition, he has completed the American Academy of Facial Esthetics hands-on training courses Level I, II & III Botox and Dermal Fillers, and Level I & II Frontline TMJ, Headache and Orofacial Pain courses (including Botox and trigger point injections), as well as Sleep Dentistry courses that utilize Botox in cases of clenching and grinding of teeth at night. Each of these courses is about 20 credit hours in length (approximately 180 hours of training!).

Dr. Koch routinely does these procedures on his family, whether it involves Cosmetic Botox (for lines and changing the contours of the face and/or lips), or for treating Orofacial and Head and Neck pain.

Botox For Therapeutic Uses

Even though Cosmetic Botox is well known and the #1 cosmetic procedure done in the world, Therapeutic Botox is another valuable use. Many people struggle with head and neck (and shoulders and back) pain and have had limited success with getting relief. Botox injections are a great way to decrease the symptoms and get much-needed relief of the tension that comes from tight and over-developed muscles, often in the jaws and sides of the head.

Cosmetically, these muscles create a very unfeminine appearance because of the strong square-jawed and masculine appearance (think Bethany Frankel and Maria Shriver). Botox actually shrinks the muscles and creates a softer and more tapered jawline (and relieves a lot of tension and pain at the same time). In some ways, this has cosmetic effects as well, especially for women!

How Often Should You Get Botox

Dr. Koch recommends getting botox every 3 months just like I was told before from my dermatologist. In the last year, I have been pretty consistent with this time frame and it really has made a difference.