The botox in dentistry, a review study

Abstract

The Botulinum toxin can be considered as a neurotoxin present in nature. It is produced by the Clostridium botulinum Bacteria. Botox is the most commonly known commercial name for the Botulinum toxin.1 It is a strong toxin because as little as 30–100 mg can be theoretically fatal. Ingesting of a few milligrams of such toxin in contaminated food can cause severe illness or even death to humans, animals, and birds.2 Once the toxin reaches the cytoplasm of the nerve cells, the toxin prevents the release of acetylcholine. This stops the nerve signal and paralysis may occur. By the 2002, the FDA accepted the Allergan’s Botox cosmetic for the resolution of momentarily deleting the facial lines. For several years, many physicians also have used Botox “off-label” (without FDA approval) in treating some other medical problems.3 Those injections obviously diminish those seriousness of motor contraction–induced abnormal head position and accompanying with neck pain. Also in 2000, the FDA accepted BoNT/B as a treatment for cervical dystonia in the patients who developed BoNT/A resistance. Since that time, BoNT/A has been accepted for the decrease of the deep glabellar lines in the face. FDA accepted the use of specifications for BoNT/A and BoNT/B. 4 Nowadays, many dentists worldwide are providing the botulinum toxin (Botox) to their patients. The following is a review of the scientific literature about benefit of Botox in Dentistry problems.5