Reviewed by Dr. Nicole M. Berger, DDS — South Florida Smile Spa, Pompano Beach, FL
Botox in Pompano Beach at South Florida Smile Spa is administered by Dr. Nicole M. Berger, a dentist, which changes what it is used for. Alongside the familiar cosmetic uses, softening frown lines, forehead lines and crow’s feet, Botox® in a dental office is used to relax the jaw muscles that drive teeth grinding and clenching, to reduce the headaches and jaw pain that come with them, to lower a lip that shows too much gum when you smile, and to balance the face around a new set of veneers or a smile makeover. This page explains both sides, what a visit involves, how long results last, and when Botox is not the right answer.
Quick answer
Botox® (botulinum toxin type A) is a purified protein injected in tiny doses into specific muscles to relax them for three to four months. At South Florida Smile Spa in Pompano Beach, Dr. Berger uses it two ways: cosmetically, for frown lines, forehead lines, crow’s feet and a gummy smile; and therapeutically, in the masseter and temporalis muscles to reduce clenching, grinding, jaw pain and tension headaches, often alongside a nightguard. A visit takes about 20 to 30 minutes after a consultation, uses a very fine needle with little discomfort, has no downtime, and results appear over 3 to 10 days. Dr. Berger plans doses from facial and jaw anatomy, which is why a dentist is well placed to do it.
What It Treats
Why a dentist offers Botox
Botox works by blocking the signal between a nerve and the muscle it controls, so the muscle relaxes. The lower face and jaw are a dentist’s daily territory, and several of the most useful applications are dental ones.
- Clenching and grinding (bruxism). Small doses in the masseter and temporalis muscles reduce the force of clenching, which protects teeth, crowns and veneers and eases the morning jaw ache. It is used with, not instead of, a nightguard.
- Jaw pain and tension headaches. Overworked jaw and temple muscles cause much of the pain labeled TMJ; relaxing them often relieves the headaches and facial tightness that come with it.
- Gummy smile. A few units in the muscles that lift the upper lip let it rest a little lower, showing less gum. It is a reversible alternative to crown lengthening when the cause is a strong lip rather than short teeth.
- Frown lines, forehead lines and crow’s feet. The classic cosmetic uses, softening the lines made by repeated expression without changing how your face moves at rest.
- Finishing a smile makeover. After veneers or a smile makeover, Botox and Juvéderm® can balance the lips and the lines around the mouth so the new smile fits the whole face.
Botox has been used in medicine for decades and is approved by the FDA for both cosmetic and therapeutic uses; the dental uses described here are an accepted part of dental practice in Florida when provided by a trained, licensed dentist. The American Dental Association’s page on teeth grinding and jaw pain explains the damage clenching does, which is what Botox in Pompano Beach at our office is most often used to stop.
Botox uses compared
| Use | Where it is injected | What it does | When results show | How long it lasts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clenching and grinding | Masseter (jaw) and sometimes temporalis (temple) muscles | Reduces the force of clenching; eases jaw soreness; protects teeth and dental work | 1 to 2 weeks | 3 to 4 months, often longer with repeat visits |
| Jaw pain and tension headache | Masseter, temporalis, sometimes the muscles at the back of the neck | Relaxes overworked muscles; fewer and milder headaches | 1 to 2 weeks | 3 to 4 months |
| Gummy smile | Muscles that lift the upper lip, beside the nose | Lip rests 2 to 4 mm lower when smiling; less gum shows | 3 to 10 days | 3 to 4 months |
| Frown lines | Between the eyebrows | Softens the “11” lines | 3 to 10 days | 3 to 4 months |
| Forehead lines | Across the forehead | Smooths horizontal lines; dosed to keep natural brow movement | 3 to 10 days | 3 to 4 months |
| Crow’s feet | Outer corners of the eyes | Softens smile lines beside the eyes | 3 to 10 days | 3 to 4 months |
| Lip and mouth lines | Around the mouth, in very small doses | Softens vertical lip lines; a slight lip “flip”; often combined with filler | 3 to 10 days | 2 to 3 months |
The Process
What a Botox visit involves
- Consultation. Dr. Berger reviews your medical history and medications, looks at how your face moves, and for jaw treatment examines the bite, the muscles and the wear on your teeth. Goals and realistic results are agreed before anything is injected.
- Mapping and dosing. The injection points are marked and the units for each site are set from your muscle size and the result you want. Photographs are taken for comparison.
- Injections. The skin is cleaned and, if you like, numbed with a cold pack or topical cream. Each injection uses a very fine needle and takes seconds; most areas are done in 10 to 20 minutes, and many patients describe it as a brief pinch.
- Straight back to your day. There is no downtime. For the first four hours, stay upright, avoid rubbing the area, and skip strenuous exercise; small bumps at the injection sites settle within the hour.
- Two-week review. Results begin at 3 to 10 days and are complete at two weeks, when Dr. Berger checks the result and adds a small touch-up if an area needs balancing. Repeat visits are typically every three to four months.
Botox in Pompano Beach for clenching, grinding and jaw pain
This is the use that brings most patients to a dental office rather than a med spa. The masseter is one of the strongest muscles in the body for its size, and in a heavy clencher it works through the night, cracking teeth, chipping veneers, loosening crowns and leaving the jaw and temples sore by morning. A nightguard protects the teeth from each other but does not stop the muscle working. A measured dose of Botox in the masseter, and often the temporalis, reduces the force the muscle can generate while leaving normal chewing and speech unaffected. Patients usually notice the morning ache fading within a week or two, and headaches that start at the temples often improve with it. Over repeated treatments the muscle slims, which in some patients also softens a square jawline. Dr. Berger examines the bite first, because a bite problem or a missing tooth can drive clenching, and treating the cause may be the better route. Our nightguards page covers the appliance side of grinding.
Botox for a gummy smile
Showing a band of gum above the upper teeth when you smile has several causes, and Botox treats one of them: a lip that lifts too high. A small dose on each side, in the muscles beside the nose that raise the lip, lets it rest two to four millimeters lower during a full smile. It takes a few minutes, shows in about a week, and lasts three to four months, which makes it a good way to preview the look before committing to anything permanent. When the teeth themselves are short, because gum covers part of the crown, crown lengthening is the lasting fix, and when the whole upper jaw sits low the answer is orthodontic. Dr. Berger measures the lip movement and the tooth proportions at the consultation and tells you which you have.
Cosmetic Botox in Pompano Beach, done conservatively
For frown lines, forehead lines and crow’s feet, the goal is a face that looks rested, not frozen. Dr. Berger doses to soften the lines that form when you squint or frown while keeping your natural expression, and she starts conservatively, because units can always be added at the two-week review and cannot be taken away. Botox treats lines caused by muscle movement; lines etched into the skin at rest, lost volume in the cheeks, and thin lips are better treated with a filler such as Juvéderm, and the two are often combined in the same visit. Patients who are finishing a smile makeover or new veneers often add a small amount of Botox around the mouth and eyes so the whole face matches the new smile.
Safety, side effects and who should wait
Botox has a long safety record when it is placed correctly in appropriate doses, and the effects wear off completely as the muscle recovers. Common side effects are minor: a small bruise, slight redness or a mild headache for a day or two. Uncommon ones, such as a temporarily heavy eyelid or an uneven smile, come from product reaching a neighboring muscle, which is why precise anatomical placement matters and why Dr. Berger treats the lower face in small, measured doses. These also resolve as the Botox wears off. Botox is not given during pregnancy or breastfeeding, to patients with certain neuromuscular conditions, or where there is an active infection at the site, and some medications, including certain antibiotics and blood thinners, need to be discussed first. Bring a list of what you take to the consultation.
Cost and insurance
Botox is priced per unit, so the cost of a visit depends on how many areas are treated and how large the muscles are: cosmetic areas use relatively few units, jaw-muscle treatment uses more. Cosmetic Botox is not covered by dental or medical insurance. Botox for clenching, grinding and jaw pain is generally not covered by dental plans either, though some medical plans consider it for diagnosed TMJ disorders or chronic migraine with prior authorization, and we can provide the documentation to ask. You receive a written estimate for your specific plan at the consultation, before anything is scheduled, and treatment can be combined with a hygiene or cosmetic visit to save a trip.
Care in Pompano Beach
Why patients choose South Florida Smile Spa for Botox
- A dentist’s anatomy. Dr. Berger works on the muscles of the face and jaw every day and gives injections for a living; placement is precise and doses are conservative.
- Dental uses, not just cosmetic. Clenching, grinding, jaw pain and gummy smile are treated with the bite and the teeth examined first, so the cause is not missed.
- Planned with your smile. Botox and Juvéderm are coordinated with veneers, whitening or a smile makeover so the result is balanced.
- Two-week review included. Every treatment is checked and fine-tuned once it has taken full effect.
- One visit for everything. Botox can be added to a cleaning or cosmetic appointment, with a private, spa-style setting.
Patients come for Botox from Pompano Beach, Lighthouse Point, Deerfield Beach, Fort Lauderdale and Coconut Creek, often as part of a cosmetic dental plan, and often for jaw pain that a nightguard alone has not solved.
Lines, a gummy smile, or a jaw that aches every morning
Book a Botox consultation with Dr. Berger. You will find out which areas will respond, how many units you need, and what it costs, before anything is injected.
South Florida Smile Spa · Dr. Nicole M. Berger, DDS · 572 E McNab Rd, Suite 102, Pompano Beach, FL 33060 · (954) 785-1100
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a dentist give Botox?
Yes. Licensed dentists with the required training administer Botox for dental and facial uses, and dentists are among the most experienced injectors of the face: they study head and neck anatomy in depth and give injections daily. Dr. Berger uses Botox for clenching, grinding, jaw pain and gummy smile as well as for frown lines, forehead lines and crow’s feet.
Does Botox for teeth grinding really work?
For most heavy clenchers, yes. Reducing the force of the masseter and temporalis muscles eases morning jaw pain and headaches and lowers the risk of cracked teeth and broken dental work. It does not stop the habit, so a nightguard is still recommended, and the effect lasts about three to four months before a repeat visit.
How long does Botox take to work, and how long does it last?
Results begin at 3 to 10 days and are complete at two weeks. Cosmetic areas last about three to four months; jaw-muscle treatment often lasts a little longer once the muscle has slimmed over several treatments. The effect wears off gradually as the muscle recovers.
Does it hurt?
Very little. The needle is extremely fine and each injection takes a second or two; most patients describe a brief pinch. A cold pack or numbing cream is available if you are sensitive, and there is no soreness afterward beyond an occasional small bruise.
Will my face look frozen?
Not when it is dosed conservatively. The aim is to soften the lines made by expression while keeping natural movement, and Dr. Berger starts with lower doses and adds at the two-week review if needed. For jaw treatment, chewing and speech are unaffected.
Can Botox fix my gummy smile?
If the cause is a lip that lifts too high, yes: a small dose beside the nose lets the lip rest a few millimeters lower when you smile, lasting three to four months. If the teeth are short because gum covers them, crown lengthening is the permanent solution. Dr. Berger measures which it is at the consultation.
What should I avoid after Botox?
For the first four hours, stay upright, do not rub or massage the treated area, and skip strenuous exercise, saunas and alcohol for the day. Makeup can go on after a few hours. Normal activities, including work, can continue immediately.
Is Botox covered by insurance?
Cosmetic Botox is not. Botox for jaw pain or grinding is generally not covered by dental plans, though some medical plans consider it for a diagnosed TMJ disorder or chronic migraine with prior authorization; we can supply the documentation. You receive a written estimate before treatment.
Do you see patients from outside Pompano Beach?
Yes. Patients come for Botox and Juvéderm from Lighthouse Point, Deerfield Beach, Fort Lauderdale, Coconut Creek and across Broward County, and treatment can be added to a cleaning or cosmetic visit. The office is at 572 E McNab Rd, Suite 102, Pompano Beach. Call (954) 785-1100 or request an appointment.