Background and complications of dermal fillers: the increasing use of non-surgical facial aesthetics in dental practice

Abstract

There has been a noticeable increase in the number of patients who present to oral and maxillofacial surgery (OMFS) departments for treatment of post-operative complications of dermal fillers and botulinum toxin. These complications are more likely when the treatments are performed by untrained persons or self-administered by patients. Occasionally, these adverse outcomes cannot be avoided, even when products are administered by medically trained professionals. This review includes two cases and discusses some of the key issues surrounding these products so that patients can be informed of the benefits and risks with these types of non-surgical aesthetic procedures and, where possible, reduce the risk of complications occurring. CPD/Clinical Relevance: Appropriate knowledge of facial anatomy and different types of dermal fillers is necessary to reduce the risk of complications associated with injection of these products.