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Lip Enhancement & Cosmetic Dentistry in Downtown Toronto

What Is Lip Augmentation/Enhancement?

Wider, fuller, and well-defined lips are widely considered as attractive. Lip augmentation can add fullness, balance and body to your lips, and give you that softer, sexier look you desire. While at the same time enhance and provide balance to the rest of your overall facial features. Just like a beautiful painting (mouth/teeth) will be further enhanced by the frame (lips).

At City Oasis Dental we offer a non-surgical lip enhancement. In this treatment ultra-fine needles are used to inject biodegradable Hyaluronic Acid Fillers into the lips, the product Juvederm is typically used. https://www.juvederm.ca/ . The procedure creates natural, long lasting, predictable results. Once an initial examination is done by Dr. Jennifer she will artistically create volume, shape, symmetry and proportion in the lips that give you the best version of yourself according to each individual’s facial type and desired look.

Who Performs Lip Injections at City Oasis Dental?

Dr. Jennifer Lai is hands on with all aspects of lip injection treatment. From the initial examination, the entire procedure, and all follow up appointments.

How are Lip Injection’s Done?

Typically a lip augmentation appointment is scheduled ahead of time. First you will meet with Dr. Jennifer for an initial assessment. You should not have any filler in your lips at this time; if you have had recent lip injection elsewhere and want us to correct your lips, it is very important for us to know the history and type of filler materials that was placed. As many semi-permanent and permanent fillers will not be compatible to Hyaluronic Acid Fillers and can drastically increase the risk for post-op complications. Avoid taking any blood thinners that may increase your risk of bruising and swelling for two weeks prior to your treatment (such as Aspirin, Advil, Ibuprofen, Fish Oils, Omega 3s, high fish diet, etc). If you had any cold sores in the past, please let us know ahead of time. We’ll prescribe medication for you to take prior to your treatment to lower the risk of post-injection triggered cold sore reactivation. The anti-viral medication significantly lowers the risk of cold sore re-activation.

On the day of your treatment, a numbing cream can be used; we will apply it and allow it to sit on your lips to take effect for about 15-20 minutes before proceeding with treatment. If you wish to have a dental nerve block to completely freeze your lips, Dr. Jennifer will perform the nerve block by injecting local anesthetic (much like a dental nerve block), which will cause complete numbness of your lips for 1-2 hours.

Typically there is no need for pre-treatment with numbing cream or nerve blocks. However, if you feel it would make you more comfortable we are happy to provide either option free of charge. Lip Augmentation takes approximately 15 minutes. You will first be given a small icepack to apply directly to your lips to cool them down. This acts to numb the nerves so that the treatment is as comfortable as possible. The cold also causes blood vessels to constrict, therefore significantly decreasing swelling and bruising after the lip injections.

Patients are fully awake during the procedure. Most patients do not require any freezing or pre-treatment. However, some patients who are anxious about needles can be pre-treated with a numbing cream or a dental nerve block. If you would like some form of pre-treatment, please let us know at the time you are booking your lip augmentation, so that we can schedule an additional 15-20 minutes to your appointment (the amount of time it takes to pre-treat your lips).

The treatment itself is relatively straight forward. During the procedure, we inject a small amount of Hyaluronic Acid Filler (Juvederm) directly into your lips. The choice of fillers will depend on your existing lip architecture and what you are trying to achieve. The injection itself takes about 10-15 minutes to complete.

After immediate treatment, we recommend you stay in the clinic and apply an ice pack for a further 10-15 minutes. Relax and enjoy the massage chair at City Oasis. This post icing will help minimize bruising and swelling. However, slight swelling and bruising should still be expected; most of which will disappear over 2-3 days following treatment. Most people can return to work immediately after treatment and full written aftercare instructions will be given to you. Lipstick is not recommended in the first 24 hours to reduce the risk of potential post-op infection.

For the majority of patients (95%+), swelling is minimal and only you and people who know you well will know your lips are swollen. Strangers who have never met you will not be any wiser. However, a small percentage of patients can experience a reaction leading to more significant swelling. This is a temporary condition and it WILL settle, although it can look quite concerning when it happens for the first time. Using ice packs and Benadryl will help to speed up the resolution of the swelling. You need not worry, because ALL patients recover from this unusual swelling. However, it is recommended to avoid making any major event commitments within the first week post treatment in case of any potential post-op complications.

Frequently Asked Questions?

  1. What is Hyaluronic Acid?
  2. Hyaluronic Acid is a substance that naturally enriched in youthful skin. It acts by binding to surrounding water molecules and thereby giving it the volume and hydration to the skin, which at the same time promoting the softness and fullness to the face and lips. As we age, the Hyaluronic Acid in our body started to have a lesser infinity of an effect, leading to a loss of volume and fullness which translate to facial wrinkles and thinner lips. When the Hyaluronic Acid is injected into our body, it would eventually being absorbed and broken down naturally overtime. Therefore, results typically last from a range of 3-6 months in very mobile areas, such as the lips, up to a year in regions, such as the nose or cheeks. The type of Hyaluronic acid used by Dr. Jennifer Lai for lip augmentation does have clinical evident to be lasted as long as a year. Hyaluronic Acid Filler has now becoming a very popular and safe cosmetic treatment option and estimated over 30 million people have been treated with this product.

  3. What is my Lip Filler Options
  4. There are several lip filler options available in the market these days, the decision of which type of fillers to be used will depend heavily on what clinical conditions you have and also what we are trying to achieve. There are some Hyaluronic Acid Fillers that help to smooth and improve hydration of the lips, while others can give more volume and fullness properties which can contour the lips, correct asymmetry, and give back the fullness that was once there. Each filler product may differ slightly in terms of consistency, thickness, durability and cost, but all contain non-animal derived Hyaluronic Acid, and are Health Canada approved, safe and effective. The types of Hyaluronic acid Dr. Jennifer uses are Juvederm Ultra XC and Juvederm Volbella XC. Once injected, these substances will lift, add volume, and help diminish fine lines for long-lasting results.

  5. Anything I need to be aware of prior to my Lip Augmentation appointment?
  6. Although lip augmentation is an easy and straightforward procedure, there are some potential side effects that can occur as well. The most common side effects with Juvederm Injectable Gels included injection-site redness, swelling, pain, tenderness, firmness, lumps/bumps, bruising, discolouration, and itching. Therefore, before Juvederm injections, patients are asked to avoid taking the following substances for at least two weeks to lower the risk of potential side effects.

    • Any NSAIDs such as Ibuprofen, Aleve®, Motrin®, Advil®, Aspirin®
    • Coumadin
    • Garlic
    • Ginseng
    • Ginkgo Biloba
    • Glucosamine
    • Fish Oil
    • Vitamin E

    Most side effects are minimal and usually resolve within 2-3 days. Depending on which type of HA that was applied at the treatment process, Juvederm Ultra XC, most side effects are mild to moderate and lasted 14 days or less. Juvederm Volbella XC, most side effects were mild or moderate and lasted 30 days or less.

    Also there is always a chance of cold sore reactivation after the procedure, therefore, it’s very important to let Dr. Jen and her staffs know prior to your appointment, therefore we can provide you with an anti-viral medication to lower your risk.

  7. Who Should Consider A Lip Enhancement?
  8. If you are in good general health, have a positive attitude and realistic expectations, you are most likely a good candidate for this procedure at City Oasis Dental. The following are some common reasons why you may consider a lip enhancement:

    • Your lips have always been thin and seem to disappear when you smile
    • As you have aged, your lips have become thinner and less full
    • You feel self-conscious about how your lips look
    • Having fuller lips will help balance out your face

    Lip Fillers can improve uneven lips, the shape of your mouth, and the symmetry of the gum-show when you smile.

    Benefits of Hyaluronic Acid-based Fillers:

    1. Proven safe and effective – approved by Health Canada
    2. Provides instant improvement to the lips, you will see the result immediately
    3. Quick and easy procedure (take less than 20 minutes), there is no downtime
    4. Soft, natural results
    5. Temporary effects (the product is reversible/biodegradable) that can be easily corrected if you are unsatisfied with the results
  9. Who should not have lip enhancement?
  10. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, or have history of severe allergies, you should not have this treatment. People with certain connective tissue disorders may also be at a higher risk of side effects.

  11. What can I expect on the day of my treatment?
  12. Injections with Lip Fillers can be performed with little to no downtime and minimal preparation. Dr. Jennifer will prepare the area to be treated and take precautions to minimize your pain. The procedure should take less than 20 minutes, and most of the time no local anaesthetic is required. A pre-op and post-op instruction usually will be supplied to you prior to your arrival, and you will be given instructions to follow once you leave the clinic. If you require additional local anaesthetic or dental freezing, please let us know ahead of time, so we can properly allocate sufficient time for your treatment.

  13. Do injection in and around the lips hurt?
  14. Injections in the lips can be uncomfortable; however, at City Oasis Dental, we use a topical anesthetic cream that numbs the lips so that the needle prick cannot be felt. For almost all of our patients, this is sufficient and no other local anaesthetic method is needed to counter pain. If necessary for patients who are particularly sensitive, we can inject a local anaesthetic (or freezing) to completely numb the lips and surrounding areas and temporarily remove all feeling.

  15. Will my lips be swollen after the treatment?
  16. Following your lip injection procedure, you will have some swelling; however, swelling is normally minimal and barely visible. It is recognizable only in the fact that the day after your procedure when the swelling subsides, you may notice that your lips look marginally smaller than they appeared immediately after the injections. Most side effects only last for a day or two. Sometimes, you may still feel some clumps/bumpy areas around the lips for a bit longer, but they are self-resolvable after 1 week or 2, depending on the products used.

  17. How long does the enhancement last?
  18. The enhancement from Hyaluronic Acid Lip Fillers generally lasts for about 6 to 9 months. The exact time varies between each individual patient and the type and amount of filler that is used. Since Hyaluronic Acid is completely absorbed and broken down by the body over a period of months, a retreatment session is recommended every 6 months to maintain results. Some of the Hyaluronic acid products do last to up to a year.

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