What precautions should dental hygienists take when treating patients with recent facial procedures?
Most of the injectable products are stable at 72 hours. As a rule of thumb, there shouldn’t be any retraction of the commissures. A rubber dam should not be placed. There shouldn’t be any intra-oral photography requiring retractors or an aggressive prophylaxis where the lips were retracted or a bite block placed less than 72 hours after an injectable application. In the elective, nonsurgical setting, x-rays should also be avoided. What is the role of the dental hygienist in the facial esthetics arena? I think the hygienist should be active in recommending this treatment to patients. Dental patients expect that their dental professional will be able to discuss esthetics with them. When patients say esthetics, they are not just talking about their anterior dentition. They’re talking about their smile, their face. If the dentist decides not to provide these types of services himself, then I believe that the dentist and/or dental hygienist should be the primary treatment planner. Gordon Ch
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