Are you suffering from TMJ pain? Dealing with sensitive teeth or exhausted jaw muscles that struggle to finish the job when eating? If you’ve answered yes to any of these, then you may benefit from Botox injections as a treatment option. Botox, commonly known for its cosmetic use, also helps with a variety of medical conditions, one being TMJ. Botox will temporarily relax the muscles in the jaw, decreasing the symptoms associated with TMJ disorder such as pain and tension.

What is TMJ? 

TMJ disorder currently affects more than 10 million people in the United States. TMJ, also known as the temporomandibular joint, acts like a sliding hinge for your mouth, connecting your jawbone to your skull. It allows you to open and close your mouth to chew and speak. The chewing muscle, or masseter, located in the cheek and jaw works with surrounding muscles to move your temporomandibular joint and jawbone. The masseter is the strongest muscle in the body (in terms of exerting force on external objects) and it is also the tightest!

What are the Symptoms Associated with TMJ disorder?

TMJ disorders (also referred to as TMD) can cause pain and tension in the jaw and surrounding muscles, limited jaw movement, difficulty chewing due to pain, clicking, clenching, and grinding of the teeth. Sometimes it can even cause headaches, migraines, ringing in the ears, neck, or shoulder discomfort. In severe forms, it may even lead to lockjaw, which is when the stress on the jaw causes it to lock up and prevents you from opening your mouth wide.TMJ disorder often comes and goes and is known to be aggravated by stress. Stress can cause the muscles in your jaw to tense up. The exact cause of TMJ is unknown, however, it may be due to a combination of factors, such as poor posture habits, chronic jaw clenching, genetics, arthritis, or injury to the jaw.

Aesthetically, the constant grinding of the teeth will wear the teeth down. It can lead to poor teeth alignment and cracked teeth. It can also lead to an aged appearance of the teeth, smile, and face. The lower face makes up one third of the face, but with teeth grinding leading to teeth shortening, it can cause an unbalanced or unproportioned face, as well as accelerated aging.

How does Botox for TMJ help?

There is significant evidence that suggests the effectiveness of Botox injections for treatment of TMJ disorders. Botox works by blocking the release of the neurotransmitter, acetylcholine, to reduce muscle contraction. For TMJ, this helps relax the masseter muscle in the jaw. Given that the masseter is the strongest muscle in the body, with the right dose, the ability to chew normally is not impacted at all. A study from 2018 suggests improvement in TMJ symptoms in 80% of participants receiving Botox injections (https://www.jomos.org/articles/mbcb/full_html/2018/03/mbcb170068/mbcb170068.html ).

The benefits noticed from Botox for TMJ are:

• Decreased pain in the jaw

• Decreased tension or tightness in the jaw

• The frequency and intensity of headaches reduced or nearly gone

• Decreased anxiousness

• Improved sleep

• Decreased clenching and grinding (protecting the teeth which leads to less teeth complications)

Botox for TMJ is considered an off-label use. This means that the FDA has not approved this treatment, though it is safe and widely used throughout the world. Since Botox is a temporary treatment, Botox for your TMJ disorder will last about three to four months. Further treatment is then required. It’s important to note that, though Botox is a treatment for TMJ, it will not solve the root cause of it.

By preventing muscle contraction, and decreasing the pain, tension, and swelling associated with TMJ disorder, you can easily address and work on managing it with a combination approach. It is highly suggested to try additional alternative treatment options (such as physical therapy) once you are treated with Botox for TMJ.

What else can you do for TMJ disorder?

Posture

It is important to be aware of your posture and to avoid slouching. When your head is in a forward position, it puts a strain on the muscles, disk, and ligaments of the temporomandibular joint. It’s also best to avoid sleeping on your stomach, as this forces the neck to rotate in one direction.

It’s good practice to place your work directly in front of you, rather than to the side, forcing your neck to look in one direction. In addition, placing your computer monitor at eye level so there is no need to look up, down, or to the side.

Clenching & Chewing

It is best to avoid constant chewing motions like chewing gum, biting nails, or eating tough, sticky foods. When you notice you are clenching your jaw, it is vital to recognize and stop that habit to relax the muscle. This can happen sporadically during the day, especially when stress arises.

Stress & Pain

Since TMJ disorder is aggravated by stress, it is important to engage in self-care activities such as yoga, meditation, massages, or deep breathing exercises. Like any other muscle in the body, we need to relieve the built-up tension. In addition, it is advised to avoid opening the jaw too wide as this creates more stress on the jaw.

Practicing a daily masseter massage may also help with built up tension. To massage the masseters, use your fingers or knuckles with closed fists, to firmly press, kneading, and massaging in circles where your jawbone meets your cheek. By clenching the teeth gently, you should feel the masseters contract, which is where you want to massage. Massaging may be done multiple times a day for a few minutes at a time.  

Another way to loosen up the masseters is by placing three fingers on the jaw where it meets the cheek, applying a small amount of pressure and then down move towards your chin. As you apply pressure downwards, you simultaneously open your mouth. Then relax. This may be repeated five times. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g2jq0LB8b50 )

Physical therapy may be beneficial for the muscles in and around the jaw. Physical therapy can help ease the pain, decrease the daily stress on the jaw, regain normal jaw movement, and help with posture education.

Acupuncture and dry needling are alternative treatment options for TMJ disorder. Both treatments use tiny needles that are inserted into the skin and help relieve pain. In addition, using ice, and taking muscle relaxers and OTC anti-inflammatories can help relieve pain.

Tooth Health

Because it is very common to clench your jaw at night while you sleep, it is highly suggested to use night guards to protect your teeth. It is also important to maintain good oral hygiene and tooth health. It is suggested to avoid smoking 

What are the Side effects of Botox for TMJ?

As with any injection, redness, and bruising at the injection site is possible. Some people report headaches the day of injection and a few days following injection. If this happens, Tylenol (Acetaminophen) may be used.

What can I Expect with my Treatment?

Your appointment for Botox injections will take no longer than 20 minutes. Botox for TMJ requires multiple injection points. These injections are used with tiny needles. Botox is injected into the masseter muscles on each side of the jaw. Botox for TMJ requires about 25-50 units per side. Depending on the severity of your tension it may also be necessary to treat your forehead and temples with Botox, however, it is suggested to start first with masseter injections. You may notice an improvement in 3-4 days, but the full effects take two weeks. Results will last approximately 3-4 months.

There is no downtime for this procedure. Most report that pain is minimal. After injection, it is advised to avoid rubbing or massaging the areas treated and to avoid exercising for 24 hours. You should also remain upright for 4-5 hours after injection to prevent it from moving to another area.

Because Botox weakens the muscle, this lessens the appearance and thickness of the masseter muscle, which slims the jawline. This slimming effect is a slow process as it takes time for the muscle to weaken. It may take up to six weeks to see the effects of facial slimming. Though, it is worth the wait and a great bonus to the treatment of TMJ!

Botox is widely used for many aesthetic and medical reasons. For TMJ disorder, it is very safe, effective and a commonly used treatment. Though Botox is a temporary treatment, it is a great option to manage the pain and symptoms associated with TMJ disorder. Contact us today if you have any questions!

XO, Pure Bliss Aesthetics