Botox Treatment for TMJ and Bruxism

Are you experiencing pain from TMJ or bruxism? If so, your dentist may recommend Botox dental treatment. You probably know Botox from its reputation for wrinkle treatment, but it is increasingly finding wider applications in dental work. Botox-certified dentists are using Botox to ease mouth pain caused by muscles in the jaw.

TMJ and bruxism trigger serious pain in the mouth and headaches. These symptoms can be quite intense, to the extent of making it difficult for you to perform your daily tasks. Fortunately, dentists can treat these issues successfully and inexpensively with Botox. Patients who use night guards to treat TMJ or bruxism would be happy to know there is an alternative.

What Exactly Is Botox?

Botox is a treatment that medics have used for many years to reduce wrinkles. Botox is short for Botulinum toxin. Botulinum toxin is a protein that the bacterium Clostridium botulinum produces. The toxin paralyzes or weakens muscles to help treat wrinkles and certain health issues.

Doctors administer Botox treatment mainly through injections. In the dental world, dentists use the treatment to address problems related to dental health, including TMJ and bruxism.

How Does Botox Treat TMJ?

TMJ is short for temporomandibular joint. The joint works as a hinge connecting your jawbone (mandible bone) to the bones on the sides of your skull (temporal bones)—hence the name. When working correctly, the bones allow you to move your jawbone up and down and from side to side.

You can yawn, chew, and talk as much as you like if your TMJ is in order, but not so when issues arise with the jaw and muscles that control your face—TMJ disorders. When this happens, your dentist can use Botox to relieve muscle tension in your jaw. The treatment can also ease headaches, facial discomfort, and other symptoms that come with TMJ disorder.

How Does Botox Treat Bruxism?

Bruxism is a condition that comes when you grind your teeth or clench your jaws excessively. People with bruxism grind their teeth or clench their jaws unawares during sleep or even during the day. Bruxism can result in tooth sensitivity, severe tooth damage, jaw discomfort, and ear pain. TMJ can trigger bruxism. In turn, bruxism can trigger or make TMJ worse.

Dentists have found Botox treatment successful in reducing excess muscle activity in the jaws. Injecting Botox into the big muscle that controls the jaw weakens it. That helps stop grinding and clenching of the teeth and jaw. Botox does not affect voluntary muscle movements. That means you can still chew, yawn, and talk without trouble.

Are the Results of Botox Treatment Permanent?

Like any other aesthetic treatment, the results of Botox for TMJ and bruxism are not permanent. It is necessary to continue taking the treatment to sustain the results over time. On average, you should receive Botox injections every three to four months.

Is Botox Treatment Right for You?

To qualify for Botox dental treatment, you need to be:

• Between 18 and 65 years old.
  
  

• Experiencing pain from TMJ or bruxism.
  
  

• In good physical health.
  
  

• Willing to share your concerns with your dentist before taking the treatment.

If you are a good candidate for Botox treatment for TMJ and bruxism, contact your dentist to book a consultation.

​​​​​​​For more on Botox treatment for TMJ and bruxism, visit Midtown Dental Center at our office in Atlanta, Georgia. You can also call (404) 874-0800 to book an appointment today.