Bruxism
What is Bruxism? There are two types: Awake Bruxism and Sleep Bruxism. Awake bruxism, also known as clenching of the teeth, is excessive masticatory muscle activity during wakefulness with sustained tooth contact. Sleep Bruxism, however, may be more difficult to notice right away. Sleep Bruxism involves repetitive jaw muscle activity and is considered a sleep-related movement disorder. Symptoms that present with Bruxism include hypersensitive teeth, aching jaw muscles, headaches, tooth wear, damage to dental restorations, and even sleep disruption. Bruxism, if untreated, can lead to a misaligned bite, damaged/broken teeth, or even deformed jaw.
There are many possible causes of Bruxism such as physical, psychological, and genetic factors. Stress, personality type, certain medications/substances, and other medical conditions could be a risk for developing teeth grinding. Generally this is treated by a dentist and maxilla-facial surgeons through treatments including relaxation therapies, botulinum toxin type A injections, and treating the underlying root of the problem. A trained therapist can help with coping mechanisms for anxiety, stress, and depression that is the root cause of the teeth clenching.
So how can you relieve some of this tension in the jaw? Botox. The answer may not be what first came to mind, since Botulinum toxin (botox) is typically known as an anti-aging treatment. However, botox works particularly well for teeth clenching. Botox is injected into the masseter muscle, about 15-25 units per side depending on the severity, can temporarily relieve tension in the jaw that causes soreness, discomfort, and even headaches.
In addition to the relief of jaw discomfort, Botox injected into the masseter muscle can soften and slim the lower face, giving the patient a more balanced appearance. The treatment is painless and easy, taking less than 10 minutes. The Botox takes about two weeks or so to settle, where patients notice some relief. You will notice facial slimming about 3-4 weeks after the Botox treatment.
I’m happy to help give you some relief with a little Botox in your masseter muscles. Schedule a treatment, or consultation and we can discuss the right amount of Botox for you.
Reference: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fneur.2020.564431/full