Dental Health Check with Dr. Linda Niessen
Dental health topics from Dr. Linda Niessen of Baylor College of Dentistry
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 Restylane Lips

By Dr. Linda Niessen
Monday, April 04, 2005

STORY:  RESTYLANE LIPS

A new procedure to enhance a woman's lips gains popularity among some dental patients. Dr. Linda Niessen looks at what some doctors are calling the "Restylane look." Details in today's Dental Health Check.

With beautiful teeth, Angela Williams wants to minimize what she calls a gummy smile by making her lips fuller. "The top lip, we'll give it more volume so I won't see as much gum. So I'm hoping that's what we can do."

Marina Lantsman has a different problem. She hopes to reduce vertical lines of aging by enlarging her upper lip.
      
"The upper lip lines, that's actually my concern. I want to reduce the lines around my lips," said Marina.

Both women are undergoing injections of Restylane, a new filler material that has replaced the once popular collagen.

Dr. Kevin McBride said, "Restylane is hyaluronic acid, which sounds fancy but it's the same material or chemical that's in our bodies. It's sort of like a lubricant and a glue that's throughout all the tissues that helps hold the tissue together." Dr. McBride is an oral and maxillofacial surgeon who performs many cosmetic procedures including lip enhancement.

"It's a plumping agent, a filler. It will fill in lines and depressions," Dr. McBride added.
      
While Restylane tends to last longer than collagen, its effects are still temporary.

"You'll get nine months or maybe more from Restylane," said Dr. McBride.

"It was a lot easier than I expected," said Angela.

Restylane costs about 500 dollars for each treatment and lasts six to nine months. And you should ask for an anesthetic to make the procedure less painful. For Baylor College of Dentistry, Texas A&M Health Science Center, I'm Dr. Linda Niessen, Channel 8 News.

Dr. Linda Niessen, clinical professor in the Department of Restorative Sciences and  the Office of Communications and Development at Baylor College of Dentistry, hosts Dental Health Check, the only weekly dental feature shot on location in the nation.

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