Masseter muscle pain can be excruciating and make eating, talking, and smiling difficult. But there’s good news: the FDA has approved botox treatment for masseter pain. Botox is a drug that paralyzes muscles by blocking nerve impulses to them. Masseter muscle botox treatment can be used to treat masseter hypertrophy, also known as “bruxism.”
Understand masseter muscle and its function
The masseter is a chewing muscle under your cheekbone. The masseter muscle helps to close your jaw, clench your teeth and grind food. It’s also responsible for moving the lower jaw forward while pronouncing sounds (like t or d). It can become tense and sore if you clench or grind your teeth.
Masseter muscle hypertrophy is the medical term used to describe the thickening of the masseter muscle. It can occur due to underlying medical conditions such as chronic inflammation or infection, hypothyroidism, or ageing. Some people also develop masseter hypertrophy due to excessive chewing, clenching or grinding of their teeth.
When the masseter muscle becomes enlarged, it can put pressure on the temporomandibular joint (TMJ), which results in pain in this area of the face. It’s not uncommon for people with this condition to experience pain in their jaw joints, especially when chewing or clenching their teeth together.
If you have been diagnosed with masseter hypertrophy, your practitioner may recommend masseter muscle botox injections as a treatment option. Botulinum toxin A (Botox) is injected directly into your masseter muscle to weaken it temporarily and reduce the pain caused by hypertrophy.
What is TMJ Disorder and Bruxism?
Grinding your teeth at night, called Bruxism, can cause pain in the lower jaw area even though it does not involve the TMJ. Bruxism is often associated with stress and tension. You may not realize that you grind your teeth at night because you are asleep when this occurs. Bruxism is characterized by involuntary grinding or clenching of teeth during sleep (nocturnal Bruxism). The condition causes pain in various areas of the head and neck, including:
- Temporal regions – behind each ear
- Frontal region – temples and forehead
- Mandibular region – below the chin
If you wake up with an aching jaw or sore ears upon awakening, you may want to consult your dentist or practitioner about this condition.
How does masseter muscle botox help to relieve jaw pain?
Botox is an effective treatment for masseter muscle hypertrophy, a condition that causes jaw muscles to enlarge. When the masseter muscles are enlarged, it can cause pain in the jaw and facial area. Botox is a neuromodulator that works by temporarily paralyzing specific muscles. This treatment can relieve pain and muscle spasms associated with masseter muscle hypertrophy. This treatment also allows other muscles around these areas to relax and reduce strain on your masseter muscle while still allowing you to move your mouth normally when you chew or speak.
The benefits of botox injections include:
• Eliminating painful spasms in the masseter muscles
• Reducing headaches caused by increased tension in those muscles
• Decreasing clenching and grinding habits
Botox masseter muscle Treatment procedure
The masseter muscle is a large, superficial muscle that plays a vital role in chewing. A patient with overly developed masseter muscles may experience pain or discomfort in the jaw line, especially when chewing hard foods or smiling or biting. The Masseter Muscle Botox procedure involves injecting minute amounts of the drug into specific areas of the masseter muscle where it paralyzes it temporarily and reduces pain. Once the injections are complete, there should be no further discomfort or pain during the procedure.
The procedure takes about 20 minutes, and you’ll need someone to drive you home afterwards. You may be asked not to chew for 24 hours after the injection, so avoid any foods that require chewing during this period.
Masseter muscle botox treatment results are temporary and last approximately 4 months. If botox treatments are repeated, they may last longer. The most common side effects following treatment are temporary bruising and swelling at the injection site. Other possible side effects include a drooping eyelid, double vision or drooping eyelid, dry mouth, facial asymmetry where one side of your face looks different from the other, drooling and difficulty swallowing. If you experience prolonged side effects, you should immediately consult your injector or practitioner.
Botox may be used as a first-line treatment for people who experience masseter spasms or myofascial pain syndrome (MPS) related to their masseter muscles. It is also a second-line treatment for patients who have not responded well to non-surgical treatments such as physical therapy or electrical stimulation.
Take Away
CosmeDocs skin Care Clinic in London Recommend is as a potential treatment for TMJ and facial pain, masseter muscle botox is effective. For some patients, it can reduce pain and help them chew and open their airways. The procedure is quick and almost painless, and the effects are markedly effective. Botox injections have no long-term side effects, allowing you to have the treatment done once and not to worry about it again.
