Botox for Jaw Clenching

Jaw pain and tension caused by clenching or teeth grinding (bruxism) is not just unbelievably painful but it’s really damaging for your teeth.

Traditional treatments for jaw pain and grinding often involve wearing mouth guards, stress reduction techniques, and physical therapy. I’ve tried all this. I’ve eaten right through mouth guards. And I take a relaxing bath before bed every single night. And I live a rather lovely life with not a ton of monumental stress. So absolutely none of these traditional ways to treat jaw clenching has worked for me!

My teeth were becoming the sacrificial lamb. I was getting recessed gums. My teeth were chipping off. I was on a one-way track to ruining my teeth. So my Dentist had a heart-to-heart with me and said he highly recommended I get Botox to help relax my jaw so I would stop grinding and doing further damage to my smile.

Botox is a powerful muscle relaxer. Botox gets rid of wrinkles when adminstored strategically place it in certain muscle groups to relax the wrinkles in those areas. A board certified injector knows precisely were to inject it for the chosen effect. So sure, it’s a beauty product, but Botox is also a pain reliving product.

Botox has a pain reliever is effective and it’s simple to have done. People use it for migraines, to treat severe sweater, and yes, jaw clenching.

I even recently had Botox injected into my shoulders for shoulder pain. It’s nicknamed “The Barbie Botox” because of the long, lean neckline you get along with the neck pain relief.

Two different muscle groups area treated in order to relax the jaw which will significantly reduce teeth grinding: masseter and temporalis muscles.

Let’s talk more about this miracle treatment including what is involved, the benefits, and what you can expect if you decide to pursue it (and my sister and I are here to teal you it works!)

The masseter muscle, one of the primary chewing muscles, is located at the back of the jaw and plays a critical role in the movement of your jaw. Overactivity of this muscle, often due to stress or habitual clenching, can lead to hypertrophy (enlargement) which not only causes pain but can also alter the shape of the face, giving it a more squared appearance.

The primary function of the temporalis muscle is to elevate the mandible (lower jaw), which is necessary for closing the mouth. It also helps in retracting the mandible, pulling the jaw backward. This muscle plays a vital role in the crushing and grinding movements of the jaw, especially during chewing.

Both the temporalis and masseter muscles move your jaw up and down. You use this to talk, chew and bite.

So guess what two muscles get worked overtime when you clench your teeth all night longer? And guess which muscles are plain ol’ tired after working 24/7 from a day of eating and talking, followed by zero rest while you sleep. You got got it! The masseter and temporal muscles are exhausted.

This means you wake up with tight muscles radiating from your jaw to your neck to your shoulders.

Botox, or Botulinum toxin, is commonly associated with cosmetic procedures to reduce wrinkles, but it has significant therapeutic uses as well. When injected into the masseter and temporalis muscle, Botox works by blocking nerve signals that cause muscle contraction. This relaxation of the muscle reduces the intensity of the clenching and can alleviate associated pain and discomfort.

Oh, we said the word “relax.” Finally. Cause Mama could use more of that word!

Using Botox in the jaw muscles will help:

• Reduce Jaw Pain and tension.
• Help prevent tooth damage.
• Help with headaches that TMJ can cause.
• Help you sleep better and feel better the next day!
• Help you be a happier human being because you won’t be in such pain!

The procedure for injecting Botox into the masseter muscles is quick and minimally invasive.

1. Consultation: A healthcare provider will assess your jaw pain, discuss your medical history, and determine if Botox is an appropriate treatment.
2. Preparation: The area around the injection site may be numbed with a topical anesthetic to ensure comfort.
3. Injection: Using a fine needle, Botox is injected directly into the masseter muscle and possibly temporalis depending on doctor’s suggestions. This process usually takes only a few minutes.
4. Post-Treatment Care: Patients can generally resume normal activities immediately, although they may be advised to avoid rubbing the injection site for a few hours.

RELATED: What to Do AFTER Getting Boxox

Results can vary, but typically, relief from jaw tension and pain begins to be noticeable one to two weeks after treatment. Maybe it’s mental for me, but I feel results fairly soon, as in one week’s time.

I also have to say (and my sister agrees) that the simple injection of a needle into these muscles feels great. It’s not unlike dry-needling or a deep tissue massage. Sometimes the pain is so bad that the needle feels like a physical release!

You’ll need different amounts of Botox for the temporalis and masseter muscles. Based on your doctor’s recommendation on whether to treat one muscle, or both, will depend on your situation. I treat both because of the severity of my pain.

Dr. Kavali gives me 30 units of Botox total in my masseter muscle, or 15 units of Botox per side.

In my temporalis muscle, I get 5 units of Botox per side, or 10 units of Botox total.

So for treating both muscle groups, I get 40 units of Botox.

Botox treatment for teeth grinding is still considered experimental, and not FDA-approved, so most insurance companies do not cover it. I’ve heard whispers of some people getting it covered by insurance, but my healthcare provider does not cover the cost of Botox in masseter muscles.

Some Dentist offices offer it as a courtesy to patients, but most do charge for it.

It may be worth a call to your insurance to find out!

No, Botox in masseter muscles are not yet approved by the FDA. It’s still considered an off label application.

I recently had “Barbie Botox” to help with shoulder pain. While generally safe, Botox injections can have side effects, including bruising at the injection site, headache, or a temporary change in facial expressions. Serious side effects are rare when the procedure is performed by a qualified professional.

The effects of Botox for almost any application, be it wrinkles or for profuse sweat, is approximately 3 to 6 months. Most recently I went as long as four months, which was rather surprising! But let me tell you – the day that Botox wore off – I woke up in pppaaaiiiinnnn. There was no denying that it had worn off. In retrospect, it had worn off a few weeks prior but I was just tolerating it.

In other words, you’ll know and feel when the Botox for your teeth grinding has worn off!

When it wears off, you’ll need to book an appointment and start the injection process over. There isn’t a cumulative effect. When the Botox wears off, sadly the wrinkles come right back, and the TMJ comes rearing it’s ugly head!

The after care for masseter Botox is the same as any other Botox injection. Before to read a full blog post I wrote about what to know before getting Botox.

Always, always, always see a Board Certified Botox Injector. There’s no two ways about it – when there are needles involved, and with your face no less, trust no one other than a professional.

If you live in the Atlanta area, I highly recommend Dr. Carmen Kavali and her entire team at Monarch Plastic Surgery. I’ve been going to this office for years. Dr. Kavali is actually an Allergan teacher. Allergan sells Botox, Juvederm, Kybella, CoolSculpting and more. They use Dr. K to train doctors and injectable administrators all over the country – so her office knows what they are doing!

Getting Botox into your trap muscles is not the same as getting it injected into your face. This is a large muscle group. Please, please, please see a Certified Medical Plastic Surgeons office to have the procedure done.

Contact Monarch Plastic Surgery!

I absolutely swear by getting Botox to treat my TMJ. It 100% has worked for me and relieved my pain. Conclusion

For those suffering from jaw pain due to clenching, Botox injections offer an incredible solution.