Botox is the most widely used abbreviation for botulinum toxin type A (BtA). This drug has received wide coverage in the press and media for its cosmetic advantages, especially in the facial region. The clinician may be aware of the many courses becoming available and aimed at dentists to start using it in the cosmetic context. This paper intends to provide a basic understanding of the many functional uses of the drug in the orofacial region that may be relevant to everyday practice.
Clinical relevance: Awareness of the current medical, as opposed to purely cosmetic, uses of botulinum toxin in the orofacial region is desirable and this paper should inform clinicians and their patients with respect to this increasingly popular drug.