Benefits of Dental Botox Treatments

Woman smiling. Caption: Botox to eliminate tension of jaw grinding

In terms of pop culture, we are now in the future. It’s 2015 and we all know what cosmetic enhancements are. What would surprise you is that some qualified dentists, like Dental Partners of Boston, use dental Botox treatments to relieve the symptoms of TMJ (temporomandibular joint) and associated jaw tension and pain. The injections can sometimes eliminate headaches caused by teeth clenching, grinding, and severe stress. This treatment can even minimize lockjaw. There has been some evidence that proves its effectiveness but it’s only experimental at this point.

How Does Botox Treat These Disorders?

When you use your jaw for daily actions like talking, eating, and swallowing, the joint where your jawbone meets the skull, can become displaced. It can also become overworked through excessive teeth grinding. These problems may cause sharp pain in the jaw, tension headaches, and lockjaw. When Botox is injected into these joints, it can relieve the tension by making the muscles unable to engage in the powerful movements that cause the problems.

Botox is an alternative treatment for these disorders and is non-surgical which requires no hospital stay. This procedure is done in the qualified dentist’s office, and most patients experience a noticeable difference within one or two days of their initial treatment, although it could be a week.

Am I A Candidate for Botox?

It is important for providers to screen patients to determine their eligibility because this is still an early treatment. Although it does appear that Botox is a safe alternative to traditional treatment such as physical therapy, muscle relaxers, pain medications, and even night guards.

During your initial appointment, your dentist should carefully review every patient’s medical history before beginning the treatment. You must disclose whether you are using any medications, drugs, or other substances that could have a negative interaction with the injections. This would be the time to also disclose any known allergies to avoid a possible negative reaction. If you aren’t eligible for this treatment, our dentists may recommend other options such as TMJ Appliances.

Risks and Benefits of Dental Botox Treatment

If you suffer from soreness and pain caused by problems with the temporomandibular joint, this treatment can provide relief. This can also aid in preventing chipped teeth, or many other problems caused by the tension of this joint.

While Botox appears to be safe for these disorders, other treatments may impact its effectiveness. In some cases, patients have experienced bleeding at the injection sites bruising, or excessive paralysis of the muscles in the treatment area. Complications are rare, but all possible risks should be considered and discussed with your dentist.

If you or anyone you know has TMD, please schedule an appointment with one of our dentists at Dental Partners of Boston.

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