TMJ and BOTOX®
Blue Water Spa Serving Chapel Hill, Cary, Durham, and Surrounding Areas
Can BOTOX® treat TMJ and Teeth Grinding? Yes!
We frequently see people with pain in their jaw and ears, or with chronic headaches due to clenching the teeth, also known as Bruxism. Most people who suffer from Bruxism grind or clench their teeth without event realizing it. This often happens during sleep. Since Covid-19, dentists have reported more cracked teeth than ever. Stress and tension can contribute to jaw clenching and teeth grinding. BOTOX® can help jaw pain. BOTOX can also be used to relax specific muscles and relieve a number of bruxism-related symptoms and provide significant relief to patients with Bruxism.
We use BOTOX® in the masseter muscle, and sometimes in the temporalis muscle to provide relieve from pain and cosmetic improvements like jaw slimming. When expertly administered in the right patient, BOTOX® can narrow the jawline and in some cases may reduce your jowls.
TMJ Treatment with BOTOX
Severe, migraine-like headaches and chronic facial and neck pain are often caused by temporomandibular disorder, often referred to a TMJ or TMD. The temporomandibular joints connect your skull to your lower jawbone. You use these joints every day to chew, speak, yawn and swallow. TMJ can create a number of painful complications such as:
- Chronic headaches
- Teeth grinding or clenching (bruxism)
- Ear pain
- Clicking or popping of the jaw joint
- Shoulder and neck aches
- Facial pain
Jaw Slimming with BOTOX®
Sometimes women or men have a wider jawline than they desire. This can sometimes be caused by very powerful masseter or jaw muscles. Or it could be caused the repeated use of those muscles. Sometimes, people seeking relief from TMJ or Bruxism symptoms with BOTOX® will find that a jaw slimming effect is a wonderful extra bonus to the procedure. Other times, patients seeking a more narrow jawline or lower face will find that in addition to an appearance that is more sleek and elegant, that they also have the benefit of fewer headaches and tension in their jaw area.