Australasian Dentist Magazine March April 2021

Category 76 Australasian Dentist E very Dentist knows the amazing benefits that can come fromperforming an incredible dental rehabilitation. Those benefits are numerous for the patient who receives the sparkling, healthy new smile; ranging from the elimination of pain and disease, through to improved self-esteem and social presence; but they are also tangible for the Dentist. Performing a complete “make-over” using advanced techniques, skills and ma- terials is, on most occasions and in almost every way, immeasurably more rewarding than providing a simple scale and clean, Class 1 restoration or even teeth whiten- ing. Achieving a result which transcends basic dental work and has an impact on the patient’s life, brings with it a sense of achievement; a feeling of real purpose and a level of pride and satisfaction that is the very thing that keeps good Dentists in a profession that is increasingly demanding. Well the very same is true for those Dentists who have advanced their knowledge and skill-set to include non- surgical facial rejuvenation procedures. However, while much has been made over the past decade of Dentists using tools like BOTOX ® and Dermal Fillers for cosmetic purposes, to treat lines and wrinkles; and while this is certainly a nice service to provide; few people realise that it’s only the tip of a much bigger and more satisfying professional iceberg. The use of non-surgical facial procedures as “anti-ageing” therapies is certainly a big business and does bring its own rewards, especially financial; but eventually it becomes repetitive and routine, much like a scale and clean or teeth whitening. It is the ability to have these remarkable tools in your toolkit and to be able to use your extensive knowledge of head and neck anatomy, combined with your aesthetic eye, to provide life- changing rehabilitation to a patient’s face, that carries with it the greater levels of satisfaction, professional achievement and financial reward we all seek. Beyond the Lines & Wrinkles When AADFA first pioneered the Dento- Facial concept in Australasia; coining the term and starting to train Dentists and their teams in various skin and facial rejuvenation procedures over 10 years ago; many thought that it was just about improving the cosmetic appearance of facial lines and wrinkles. However this was NEVER the message that AADFA delivered and the organisation is now famous for advocating the “full-face” concept – utilising the high levels of skill, knowledge and ability of dental teams, to restore health, vitality and aesthetics across the entire facial region, intra and extra-oral – which is an approach that only Dentists can fully provide and enables them to provide life-changing results for their patients. Slowly the message started to gather momentum within the profession and Dentists began to see the potential in being able to utilise muscle relaxant injections (e.g. BOTOX ® ), for the reduction of “Gummy Smiles”; reducing occlusal loads during the placement of immediate implants; reducing the bulk of hypertrophic Masseter muscles and relieving the symptoms of TMD/Bruxism. Dentists also saw the immediate benefits provided by being able to use Dermal Filler injections to enhance lip proportions; framing intra-oral work that had been so meticulously fabricated, but until now been let down by the deteriorating extra-oral surrounds; and the benefit of those same injections to re-build a lost inter-dental papilla – the dreaded “black triangles”. But while being able to relieve a patient’s TMD symptoms, reduce their gummy smile and close their “black triangles” is definitely more rewarding and professionally satisfying for a Dentist than just improving the appearance of their facial lines and wrinkles, such procedures are still not representative of a Dentist using these techniques and materials to their full potential as a healthcare provider. Only when a Dentist is able to utilise advanced materials, techniques, knowledge of facial anatomy and their aesthetic eye to tackle complex cases, will true professional satisfaction and a sense of pride prevail and the Dentist truly be delivering the concept of Complete Dento- Facial Aesthetics, rather than just basic injections. Facial Rehabilitation in the Dentists’ hands In cases of Bell’s Palsy; the most common cause of unilateral facial paralysis; various asymmetric and non-aesthetic facial patterns can develop due to the mis-match between the affected and unaffected sides. In some cases, the paralyzed side of the face droops, while the normal side appears Facial Rehabilitation – a Dentist’s Full Potential Director & Head Trainer of the Australasian Academy of Dento-Facial Aesthetics (www.AADFA.net) , Dr Myles Holt, discusses what is now possible within the realms of non-surgical facial procedures for Dentists and why every great Dentist should have these tools in their practices to reach their full potential. Fig.1: The height of dental achievement and satisfaction lies in being able to successfully tackle complex cases and provide life-changing results – the same is true of facial aesthetic treatments. Fig.2: Most Dentists are aware that facial treatments can do more than treat wrinkles – like improving TMD/Bruxism & a Gummy Smile, or to fill interdental papillae – but few realise their full potential. clinical Myles Holt