Smile and Facial Appearance Cosmetic Treatments
While oral surgeons often work to improve the structure and function of a patient’s smile, we also recognize that we have the opportunity to enhance the appearance of the smile and surrounding facial structures.
We can use different treatment modalities to help patients achieve their goals of improving their appearance, whatever issues need to be addressed. We can remove wrinkles, fill in drooping features and brighten and whiten the smile, for example.
To learn more about the cosmetic treatments provided at COOMSA and whether you might benefit from them, visit our office for a consultation. You’ll be amazed to learn how simply and effectively we can address your cosmetic concerns.
Characteristics Of A Youthful Facial Appearance
The ideal youthful facial appearance sought by many of our patients who seek cosmetic treatments is one in which the face is free from wrinkles and certain prominent features, such as the lips and cheeks, are full and plump, while others – like the chin – are not.
However, as we age, our facial features change as skin and underlying tissue lose their elasticity. Additionally, repeated facial expressions can leave behind telltale signs, like frown lines and crows’ feet, over time. Patients who want to rejuvenate themselves often need to address these issues.
Certain characteristics are also associated with a youthful, attractive smile, which is white and bright with teeth in good condition.
Because our enamel slowly breaks down as we age, exposing the yellow dentin underneath, discoloration of the teeth is often a factor of aging. Fortunately, this trend can be reversed with teeth whitening treatment.
Through the various treatment modalities available to us, we can address any or all of these issues, depending on the patient’s specific needs and treatment goals.
Cosmetic Treatments To Improve Facial Aesthetics
To address the effects that aging has on the patient’s facial appearance, we will use different tools and treatments for different concerns. Depending on your particular case, we may recommend one or more of the following treatments.
BOTOX® Cosmetic
The only FDA-approved treatment to reduce both frown lines and crows feet. BOTOX® Cosmetic works by reducing the muscle activity that contributes to creating those features.
Juvederm
These fillers, made of naturally occurring hyaluronic acid, achieve the desired effects of plumping up sunken cheeks or thinning lips instantaneously.
Kybella
This prescription medicine destroys fat cells in a double chin when injected into the area, leaving them unable to store or accumulate excess fat.
BOTOX® has non-cosmetic uses, as well. Not only does Botox eliminate unsightly wrinkles, but it also can be used therapeutically to treat migraines and other chronic headaches. Periodic Botox injections can be used as a preventive measure so that patients don’t experience such headaches at all.
If you feel that Botox might give you relief from migraines or other chronic headaches, schedule a consultation at our office.
Our Expertise In Cosmetic Treatments
Because oral surgeons spend years studying the various facial features and how they work together to practice in the specialty, we are particularly well-suited to provide cosmetic treatments. We have unique knowledge of the elements that contribute to a balanced, youthful facial appearance.
Dr. Miller is well-trained and experienced in providing these treatments and achieving optimal results with minimal discomfort.
Enhancing Your Smile
Maybe after rejuvenating your facial appearance, you’ll want to give your smile a boost, too. Or maybe you just want to recapture the bright, white smile of your youth. We can help with that goal, too.
Teeth whitening treatments provided by a dental professional are far more effective and lead to more noticeable results than such treatments that are sold in stores or kinds of toothpaste that claim to whiten your teeth.
Gels applied to the teeth utilizing a 3D printed custom tray allow bleaching agents to permeate the surface of the teeth and release the stains that lie underneath. These treatments are often so effective that they can leave your teeth up to 8-10 shades whiter after the treatment.
Common Cosmetic Treatments Questions:
What is cosmetic dentistry?
Cosmetic dentistry is the discipline of dental medicine that focuses on enhancing the appearance of the smile, rather than restoring its structure or improving its functionality. Cosmetic interventions often focus on addressing deficits in the shade or condition of the teeth or with their alignment. Cosmetic dentistry treatments are valuable in improving a patient’s self-esteem, as many patients are embarrassed or ashamed of smiles that they feel are unattractive.
Do facial injections hurt?
Patients often report that there is a slight pinching associated with cosmetic injections like BOTOX® and Juvederm, the latter of which includes a numbing agent in the injection to minimize discomfort. If you would like, we can apply a numbing cream to the area before your injection so that you won’t feel anything.
I have sensitive teeth, can I still whiten my teeth?
Some patients who undergo teeth whitening treatments do complain of increased tooth sensitivity afterward, so if you are already predisposed to this problem, we will want to accommodate that in the treatment plan. That doesn’t mean that you can’t take advantage of teeth whitening if you have sensitive teeth. We will just work to mitigate the sensitivity using strategies like recommending specially formulated toothpaste or spacing follow-up treatments farther apart.
Featured Oral Surgery Procedures
at Central Oklahoma Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery Associates
ALL-ON-4® (TEETH IN A DAY)
One of the primary complaints from patients who are pursuing dentures is the long wait they face to restore their smiles. Not only can you restore your smile in a single appointment with All-on-4, but you also get a number of important benefits with this treatment that surpasses the performance of standard dentures.
DENTAL IMPLANTS
Dental implants are the ideal solution for tooth loss because they are structurally complete, consisting of an artificial root and crown. No other tooth replacement alternative replicates the root of the missing tooth, and that structure plays an important role in the stability and functionality of your smile.
WISDOM TEETH REMOVAL
For many patients, wisdom teeth extraction is the first experience with oral surgery. This procedure is so common because many patients have jaws that are too small for their large third molars to erupt properly. As such, they must be removed in surgical extraction.
Meet Dr. Miller
Dr. Richard Miller specializes in the practice of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery.
He is a fellow of the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons and is a fellow of the International Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. He is also a member of the Oklahoma Dental Association, the American Dental Association, and the Oklahoma Society of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. Dr. Miller is a member of the International Congress of Oral Implantologists, American Academy of Implant Dentistry, and the American Academy of Facial Esthetics.
Dr. Miller is certified in Basic Cardiac Life Support and Advanced Cardiac Life Support. He strives through attendance at continuing education courses, seminars and national meetings to deliver the most up-to-date and comprehensive surgical procedures available.
Three Convenient Locations
