Botulinum toxin-An Innovative Treatment Approach in Dental Practice

Objective: Dental diseases are a result of two main factors, the microbial colonization in the oral cavity and the overactive orofacial musculature. The hyperactive orofacial musculature exerts excessive biting forces and dental trauma which results in various forms of damage to the teeth and periodontium such as bruxism, TMJ disorders asymmetrical smiles, oromandibular disorders and excessive gingival display and many others. These muscle generated damages can be managed both by non surgical and surgical methods, but are invasive, irreversible and expensive for most of the patients. Hence, there is clearly a pronounced need to improve the options available for -preventive treatment of muscle generated dental diseases which requires effective and safe agents that have minimal side effects which are well tolerated for long term use and will eliminate or reduce the need to use other irreversible treatment modalities. Recently, injections of Botulinum toxin or botox have shown promising results in managing the hyperactive orofacial musculature. Thus the purpose of this article is to review the nature, mechanism of action and applications of botulinum toxin in dentistry.