Dental Botox As a Solution for Uncomfortable TMD Symptoms
Botox is famous as a minimally invasive aesthetic treatment option for minimizing wrinkles and other signs of aging. What many don’t realize is the incredible versatility behind Botox’s muscle-relaxing abilities. In fact, Botox has over 20 different medical, cosmetic, and therapeutic uses, and is becoming available in dental offices like Dr. Harris’s.
Botox has a few different roles in professional dental care.
Dentists that offer Botox to patients typically do so for three reasons:
- To minimize facial wrinkles.
- To enhance a smile’s appearance.
- To alleviate discomfort from TMD and similar disorders.
Dr. Harris offers dental Botox as an effective way of not only improving the way your smile looks but also improving your overall lifestyle and comfort level if you have TMD, bruxism, or chronic migraine headaches.
Botox can alleviate your headaches and TMD symptoms.
It isn’t always easy for patients coping with chronic headaches, migraines, and jaw pain caused by a temporomandibular joint disorder or bruxism, to find a solution. Dentists like Dr. Harris welcome these patients into their practices and offer a few different treatment options to try.
Dental Botox is one of these options, and for many patients, can quickly ease their discomfort safely and without surgery.
Botox eases chronic headaches by blocking pain-causing chemicals.
Botox’s ability to relieve headaches and migraines was a happy accident, discovered during its use as a cosmetic treatment. Since 2010 when the FDA approved Botox for migraine treatment, millions of patients have found relief from their migraines and chronic headaches.
Botox works to ease headaches and migraines by blocking neurotransmitters, stopping the pain signals from ever causing the pain response you know as a headache. Some patients who experience tension headaches can also find relief through the muscle-relaxing properties of Botox.
Botox relaxes facial and jaw muscles, preventing grinding and clenching.
Botox for use in treating temporomandibular joint disorders and bruxism (teeth grinding) is becoming more popular. When specifically treating TMD symptoms, a dentist will inject Botox into the masseter muscle, the powerful facial muscle in your cheek responsible for chewing.
Your dentist will delicately inject enough Botox to relax this muscle to stop subconscious clenching or teeth grinding. However, your muscle won’t be so relaxed that it affects your ability to chew, talk, or smile.
Botox does wear off over time and treatment will need to be repeated.
Considered both an advantage and disadvantage, the effects of Botox are temporary in nature. Treatment sessions will need to be repeated around every three to four months, though this largely depends on your individual needs.
Botox being a temporary solution can be beneficial for patients who are worried about trying it out. If you’re new to the world of Botox therapy, you can feel comfortable knowing that if you find the results aren’t quite what you want, you won’t have any permanent changes to your face or smile.
Botox is exceptionally safe and the FDA approves dentistry uses.
Botox is considered a low-risk treatment option for healthy adult patients. Serious side-effects are quite rare and the average patient may only experience temporary slight swelling at the injection site immediately after application.
Patients can also rest assured knowing that the FDA approves dental Botox and decades of research have shown Botox to be safe and effective.
Dentists go through specialized training before offering Botox to patients.
Dentists like Dr. Harris also go through additional training and education to ensure patients are safe, comfortable, and happy with their results.
Organizations like the American Academy of Facial Esthetics bring dentists through a series of courses on using Botox for cosmetic purposes as well as relieving TMD/TMJ pain and general facial and cranial pain.
You might even say that dentists have an advantage over other medical professionals as they already have extensive education in facial anatomy!
Learn more about dental Botox for treating jaw and facial pain by visiting Dr. Harris.
If you’re suffering from chronic headaches, migraines, or any pain caused by TMD or bruxism, we encourage you to contact our Maryville office. Our team will book you a consultation with Dr. Harris so you can learn more about how Botox may be able to help you.
Dr. Harris will go over everything you need to know about dental Botox during this initial consultation. You’ll be able to ask any questions you might have and then confidently move forward with your treatment appointment when you’re ready.
