Effective Treatment of Bruxism – Muscle Relaxation with Targeted Botox Therapy
Bruxism – commonly referred to as teeth grinding – can make life difficult and permanently impair quality of life. Therapy with Botox injections at PraxisClinic Jadore can effectively contribute to relaxation of the masticatory muscles and thereby to relief from teeth grinding.
Nighttime teeth grinding can have long-term health consequences. The most common cause of bruxism is the large masseter muscle, which is overactive and causes the teeth to be unconsciously pressed together firmly. This occurs mainly during sleep – so-called sleep bruxism – and less often while awake – awake bruxism.
Typical negative physical consequences include, in addition to wear of the teeth and implants, permanent overload of the jawbone and joints as well as the masticatory muscles; the tension can also spread across the entire head and neck and thereby lead to chronic psychological strain. The consequences: poor sleep and nocturnal stress states.
Other unsightly consequences of bruxism also appear visually in the face: due to its constant use the masseter muscle enlarges, deforming the otherwise even appearance and shape of the face with a more pronounced look. People with slim facial features can therefore often experience a change in their facial contours as a side effect of teeth grinding.
The bite splint usually prescribed in such cases does protect the teeth and dentition from the effects of overuse, but it cannot resolve the cramping of the facial muscles. Although risk factors such as sleep disorders and sleep apnea, snoring, but also fatigue as well as stress and anxiety, frequent consumption of alcohol and caffeine, smoking and certain medications can promote bruxism, its true causes have not yet been clarified.
Treatment with botulinum toxin by Dr. Christoph Jethon at PraxisClinic Jadore can offer an effective alternative for treating teeth grinding. It acts more deeply by relaxing the masseter muscle itself.
How Does Botox Work in Bruxism Therapy?
Botox injections are normally used in the face to relax the muscles that are also responsible for wrinkle formation. The botulinum toxin used here is a natural poison (botulinum toxin A) that contains an active ingredient which inhibits the transmission of signals from a nerve to the muscle and thereby reduces its activity. Through targeted injections with botulinum toxin, a physician can therefore precisely relax individual muscles.
This relaxing effect also works on the masseter muscle, which when properly dosed is only dampened in its activity but not hindered in its normal functions. After a Botox treatment you can therefore eat and chew normally, because the muscle is only relaxed to the extent that the teeth grinding stops. This effect usually appears after about 1–2 weeks.
Through the resulting lasting relaxation of the masticatory muscles, they also return to a normal size; the atrophy of the so-called masseter muscle as a side effect leads to a narrowing of the face, so that it not only appears overall more relaxed but the previously pronounced angular shape of the cheeks regresses. This pleasant side effect is, of course, repeatedly welcomed by Dr. Jethon’s female patients in particular, as they regain their originally much slimmer facial contour through the Botox treatment and it again suits their body.
What Does the Botox Therapy for Bruxism at PraxisClinic Jadore Involve?
Dr. Christoph Jethon has extensive experience in treating teeth grinding with Botox injections. In a detailed preparatory consultation he first discusses the individual steps of this treatment with you, informs you about possible risks and explains what results can be expected.
The treatment at PraxisClinic Jadore is performed on an outpatient basis and lasts approximately 10 to 20 minutes depending on the diagnosed findings. For this purpose Dr. Christoph Jethon injects the botulinum toxin precisely at three specific points on each side of the cheek in an individually adjusted dosage. Local anesthesia is not required, so you can go home or return to work after the treatment. A subsequent recovery period or special aftercare is therefore not necessary. You should only refrain from sports or strenuous activities for the following two days.
The effect of a Botox injection in the masseter muscle does not appear immediately but only after about 1–2 weeks. The reason for the delay lies in its special nature, as it is also the strongest muscle of the human body. During this time the pleasant optical side effect of this Botox therapy becomes noticeable gradually through the gradual regression of the previously dominant angular facial features, which return to the delicate normal measure.
How Long Does the Effect of a Botox Treatment Last?
The effect of the Botox injection typically lasts between 6 and 8 months. As soon as there are signs of the teeth grinding returning, the treatment at PraxisClinic Jadore can be repeated. With regular injections, a maximum of 2 treatments per year are necessary to maintain the relaxing effect on the masticatory muscles.
What Are the Risks and Side Effects of Botox Therapy?
Due to Dr. Christoph Jethon’s careful approach and the use of fine needles, the Botox injections are only felt as minor pain – and in the cheeks themselves only as slight pressure. He places them precisely at the right spots to achieve maximum effect. With his expert application, no relevant side effects such as a restriction of jaw mobility or allergic reactions occur. Occasionally a somewhat dry mouth or, rarely, a slight burning sensation may occur; these reactions subside again after a short time.
Checklist for Bruxism Therapy with Botox
- Duration of procedure: 10 – 20 minutes, outpatient
- Anesthesia: none
- Able to work: immediately
- Socially presentable: immediately
- Sport: after 1 – 2 days
- Repeat: after 6 – 8 months
Wrinkle Treatment with Botulinum Toxin – Botox
Dr. Christoph Jethon offers, in addition to the treatment of bruxism with Botox injections, the non-surgical wrinkle treatment with botulinum toxin at PraxisClinic Jadore.
How Much Does a Bruxism Treatment with Botox Cost?
As a rule, only approximate costs can be given for non-surgical procedures because the price is determined individually according to the effort and duration of the treatment.
An overview of our treatment prices can be found on our price list.
