smile makers dental Practices

Dermal fillers are becoming the latest craze among those who want to erase “laugh lines” and other wrinkles but don’t want to go under the knife. Some doctors say they provide a more natural look than cosmetic surgery, with minimal risk and less discomfort-in just minutes. Injected into the skin, fillers promise to restore a youthful appearance by plumping up areas that have, with ageing lost fat and other structural components (as opposed to Botox, which paralyses small muscles used in facial expression). Fillers claim to be able to contour your face to give you a shapelier chin or fuller lips and cheeks, for example.
Different fillers have different cosmetic effects and last for varying amounts of time; each has pros and cons.

Bovine (cow) collagen, the first approved filler, lasts about two to six months before being reabsorbed into the skin, and so must be re-injected fairly often to maintain the appearance. And some people may be allergic to it, so allergy testing is necessary.

Hyaluronic acid, approved a few years ago lasts longer; it breaks down harmlessly in the body after six months to a year, and is less likely to cause allergic reactions.

Sculptra & Radiesse , the latest generation of fillers containing synthetic materials, work by enhancing volume or act as a scaffold for the body’s own collagen. Such fillers are considered semi-permanent because their effects may last for several years.

Artefill – made from non-degradable beads suspended in bovine collagen—is the first permanent filler approved by the US FDA for filling in certain facial creases.

Side effects

Though serious ones are rare , all fillers have potential risks, including allergic reactions, bleeding, swelling, redness, bruising, bumps, scarring, infections.