Reviewed by Chad Gilliam, M.M.S., PA-C
Reading time: 3 minutes
Do you wake up with a tight jaw or notice yourself clenching your teeth during stressful moments? Constant clenching and grinding can overwork the muscles along the sides of your jaw, leading to soreness, tension, and headaches.
Masseter Botox relaxes these powerful chewing muscles. For the right patient, treatment may reduce jaw tension and provide welcome relief from symptoms associated with clenching and grinding.
How Masseter Botox Relieves Jaw Tension
The masseters are large muscles located on both sides of the lower jaw. They help you bite and chew, and you can feel them tighten when you clench your teeth.
Botox temporarily reduces the signals that cause these muscles to contract. This decreases the force they produce and allows overworked muscles to relax.
Treatment may help improve:
- Jaw tightness or soreness
- Tired jaw muscles
- Morning discomfort
- Tension-related headaches
- Tenderness near the angles of the jaw
- Muscle fatigue while chewing
You may still clench or grind after treatment, but the contractions are generally less forceful.
Can Botox Help With TMJ Pain?
Many people use “TMJ” to describe pain, clicking, or tension around the jaw. However, the temporomandibular joints are the small joints that connect the lower jaw to the skull. Discomfort in this area can come from the joints, the surrounding muscles, or both.
Botox may help when tight, overactive chewing muscles are contributing to your symptoms. Relaxing the masseters can reduce muscle tension and may make everyday jaw movement more comfortable.
Masseter Botox for Teeth Grinding
Teeth grinding, also called bruxism, can happen during the day or while you sleep. Stress is a common trigger, but sleep conditions, medications, and other factors may also play a role.
Masseter Botox does not eliminate the underlying habit of grinding. Instead, it reduces the strength of the muscle contractions. This may relieve some of the tightness and fatigue caused by bruxism while reducing the pressure placed on the teeth.
What to Expect From Treatment
Dr. Dawn Mancuso personalizes each treatment based on your symptoms and the strength of your jaw muscles. After examining how the masseters move when you clench, she carefully places several injections on each side of the jaw. The appointment is brief, with little to no downtime afterward.
The muscles relax gradually, so your jaw may begin to feel less tense over the following days and weeks. Results commonly last several months, although the timing varies from person to person.
Is Masseter Botox Right for You?
If clenching or grinding is leaving your jaw feeling tight, sore, or tired, Dr. Mancuso can determine whether Botox may help relax the overworked muscles and reduce your discomfort.
To schedule a consultation at our medical spa in Madison, AL, call (256) 722-0555 or visit us at 844 Slaughter Road, Suite A, Madison, AL.
FAQs
How quickly will I notice less jaw tension?
Some patients begin noticing less tightness within the first few weeks. The timing depends on your muscle strength and the severity of your clenching or grinding.
Will Botox stop me from grinding my teeth?
It may reduce the force of grinding, but it does not stop the habit.
How long do the results last?
Results typically last three to four months, but this varies depending on the size and strength of your masseter muscles and how frequently you clench or grind your teeth.
How many units are needed?
Most patients need about 20 to 40 units of Botox on each side, although the amount varies based on the size and strength of the muscles.
