Botox and facial fillers work via different mechanisms. Botox weakens the muscles that contract and produce the wrinkle, while fillers physically occupy the space where a wrinkle has formed. Which is better? That is a more complicated answer. I usually recommend Botox for the upper 1/3 of the face (crows feet and glabella) and filler for the lower 2/3 of the face (nasolabial folds, marionette lines, smile lines, etc). However, these are broad generalizations. The exact recommendation is dependent on evaluation of your unique anatomy and facial expressions. The primary complaint of patients who have botox therapy around the mouth is changes in their smile and other facial expressions. Filler is much more forgiving.

Regarding longevity of therapy, Botox will last 3-5 months while facial filler will last 6-9 months or longer.

Which brand of filler is best? This is injector dependent and based on each providers personal experience with each product. I would strongly recommend a hyaluronic acid based facial filler for smile lines around the mouth.